EBT Theft – Replacement of Stolen CalFresh

By Shelly Dieu & Anae Evangelista

EBT theft costs California more than $10 million dollars a month in 2023. Amid the rampant EBT theft, many community members receiving CalFresh have been victims to EBT fraud and tactics resulting in stolen benefits.  

From the federal side, the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2022 has set the stage for federal reimbursement of stolen benefits. The Federal Nutrition Service has approved the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) plan for a two-month reimbursement of stolen benefits. 

 If you or someone you know have gotten CalFresh benefits stolen, continue reading to find out more about the replacement process. Several changes to the EBT Theft replacement policy have gone into effect starting December 1st. 

 Normally, CalFresh recipients who experience EBT Theft must file the EBT 2259 form within 90 calendar days from the date of theft in order to receive replacement benefits. However, CalFresh recipients who were victims of EBT theft between Oct. 1st of 2022 to November 30th of 2023 will now be allowed to receive retroactive replacement benefits, for up to 2 months worth of benefits. They must file an EBT 2259 form with your county to request the replacement benefits. This is great news, however, the time to call for retroactive replacement is short. CalFresh recipients who were victims of fraud only have until February 29, 2024 to call the county at: (866) 262-9881. 

CalFresh recipients will qualify for retroactive replacement benefits for past cases of EBT Theft if: 

1. They were previously denied replacement for not meeting the reporting requirements. 

2. They never filed an EBT 2259 form for the EBT theft issue. 

3. They received only 1 months worth of replacement benefits. Families can now receive benefits for up to 2 months worth of benefits. 

The EBT 2259 form can be submitted by calling the county to report the claim or by going in person to a county family resource center or by uploading the form to LaterDocs or BenefitsCal. We also have our great network of community based application assisters to help navigate through this process: https://www.sandiegohungercoalition.org/getcalfresh.  

 Please keep in mind that CalFresh households may only receive up to two instances of replacement benefits. These claims can be filed until February 29th, 2024. 

How can families protect themselves from EBT Theft? 
In order to protect themselves from electronic theft in the future, CalFresh recipients should:  

1. Frequently check on their transaction history and balance for unauthorized charges. CalFresh recipients can do so by:  

   -Logging into BenefitsCal  

   -Calling (877)328-9677 

   -checking their balance at the bottom of receipts  

2. Never give out their card number and pin   

   -Do not answer texts or emails requesting this information 

   -Do not give it out over the phone 

   -Cover the keypad during in-person transactions 

3. Double check for a skimming overlay or suspicious attachments on card reading machines 

If a CalFresh recipient notices any unauthorized charges on their account, their pin should be changed immediately to prevent further loss. You can do so by calling the number on the back of their EBT card. 

 If you or anyone you know has any issues requesting EBT Theft replacement benefits, please email calfresh@sdhunger.org. 

By Shelly Dieu (she/her), CalFresh Program Manager & Anae Evangelista (she/her), CalFresh Program Coordinator.
 

Elderly Simplified Application Project gets a user-friendly paper application form to help community members apply for CalFresh

By Shelly Dieu & Anae Evangelista

Earlier this year, the California Department of Social Services released a simplified application form, the CF 485, meant to help older adults and people with disabilities apply for food benefits via the CalFresh program. Historically, it has been difficult for seniors and individuals with disabilities to apply for and receive benefits due to lack of awareness, technological barriers, and misconceptions of the application process. Our network of application assisters in community-based organizations (CBOs) in San Diego County can assist with the CalFresh application in person with printed forms. 

What is CalFresh? 
CalFresh provides families with monthly benefits that can be used to purchase groceries – which allows families to access healthy, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods. Through CalFresh, households of 4 can even get as much as $973 a month for groceries.  

What is the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP)? 
The Elderly Simplified Application Project is a demonstration program that aims to increase the participation of the elderly and disabled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/CalFresh program. ESAP is a collection of policy and process changes that simplify the application, interview, and verification processes for SNAP/CalFresh.  

Some of these benefits include:  

1. A simplified paper application with the CF 485 form. 
   -The application was formatted to be easy to read and understand, and may submitted in-person to a county Family Resource Center or online via the Benefitscal platform.

2. Reductions in verification requirements.
   - Electronic data matches can be used to verify identity, income, residency, medical expenses, and other verification requirements.
   - Applicants will not be required to submit as many documents and can ask for county workers to assist them in locating verifications via backend systems.

3. Extension of the certification period to 3 years for elderly/disabled households with no earned income. 
   -After approval for CalFresh, most families will have to renew every 6 months through a SAR7 form. However, through ESAP, older adults and individuals with disabilities will only need to renew their benefits every 3 years. 
   - This will make it easier for households to keep their benefits after being approved!

4. Waived interview requirements during renewal. 
   - During recertification of benefits, an interview is typically required for the CalFresh household. However, through ESAP, it is waived, and elderly/disabled households will not have to complete one. 

Only households made up of older adults and/or individuals with a disability with NO earned income are eligible for ESAP – this includes SSI recipients. 

Through ESAP, it’s easier than ever for older adults and individuals with disabilities to apply for and be approved for CalFresh benefits.  

By Shelly Dieu (she/her), CalFresh Program Manager & Anae Evangelista (she/her), CalFresh Program Coordinator

Empowering Nutrition Security: San Diego Hunger Coalition's Victory in Advocacy

By Mauricio Medina (he/him)

San Diego Hunger Coalition successfully lobbied the County of San Diego’s Economic Development and Government Affairs Department to place Nutrition Security on the priority issues section of the County’s 2024 Legislative Program.

This comes after 2 years of engaging with EDGA, through issuing detailed responses during their comment period and participating in webinars as part of their annual process when soliciting feedback as they update their legislative program.

Now that Nutrition Security is listed as on the priority issues section it allows the County of San Diego to actively engage in legislation and related actions at the state and federal level to ensure such legislation benefits County Operations and the clients, customers, and constituents they serve. Furthermore, it directs EDGA to actively pursue all available funding to lift up and invest in our communities to ensure the San Diego region receives its fair share. Lastly, the County will oppose any legislative efforts that run counter to their stated priorities.

This success is particularly timely because of the expiration of the Farm Bill in 2022, and its potential reauthorization in 2023, will provide a once-in-a-decade opportunity for the County to weigh in and shape a CalFresh program that prioritizes equity, modernization, and removes harmful barriers of access.

For detailed responses click here

To learn more about 2024 Legislative Program click here

Mauricio Medina (he/him) is the Manager of Public Affairs of San Diego Hunger Coalition

Government Shutdown Exposes Vulnerabilities of SNAP Recipients

By Shelly Dieu (she/her)

San Diego, CA - As the looming government shutdown continues to dominate headlines and political tensions arise, the consequences will transpire in the homes of thousands of low-income San Diegans relying on public benefits programs. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or CalFresh in California is a public benefit program that allows recipients to purchase food at most grocery stores is threatened by the strain of a government shutdown. The San Diego Hunger Coalition, a leading advocacy group dedicated to combating hunger and poverty, is alarmed by the potential effects of this crisis on CalFresh recipients.  

This is what we know now: 

• October CalFresh/SNAP benefits will be available to customers per usual. USDA has changed their accounting process so that they will "obligate" the benefits when the states send their issuance files to the EBT vendors instead of when the benefits are loaded onto the EBT cards. https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Letters-and-Notices/ACWDL/2023/CL_09-20-23.pdf?ver=2023-09-20-122337-467 

• Due to this accounting change, benefits will be protected every October even if the legislators cannot come to a resolution on spending bills. 

• If the government shutdown extends past October, SNAP recipients will have their benefits disrupted in November. 

Taking a look back to the 2018-2019 Government Shutdown, we know how an extended shutdown can affect community members: 

• The federal government shutdown disrupted SNAP benefit distribution and SNAP participants had to wait longer than usual before benefits were issued. 

• Receiving benefits early can mean some households have initial relief followed by hardship with longer stretches in between receipt of benefits 

• SNAP communications may not be comprehensive as many recipients were not informed about benefit distribution disruption 

• https://ucanr.edu/sites/NewNutritionPolicyInstitute/files/316104.pdf 

SDHC calls upon government leaders to take action to avoid a government shutdown immediately to protect vulnerable lives. 

In anticipation of this government shutdown, the San Diego Hunger Coalition is committed to working alongside policymakers, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens to protect the nutritional security of SNAP recipients and safeguard the health and well-being of our nation's most vulnerable populations. 

Shelly Dieu (she/her) is the CalFresh Program Manager of San Diego Hunger Coalition

NAHPC Lobby Day and CHAC Hunger Action Week

From left to right: Chris Carter, VP of Communications, Marketing & Public Affairs, Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank; Casey Castillo, CEO, Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank; congresswoman Sara j. jacobs, 51st district of california; Anahid brakke, president & ceo, san diego hunger coalition and Angeles Nelson, Policy Advocate, NourishCA.

By Mauricio Medina (he/him)

CalFresh Awareness Month coincided with two important advocacy dates for federal and state policy: NAHPC Lobby Day and CHAC Hunger Action Week.

The National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference (NAHPC) is held annual in DC, and it was the first time since the pandemic that it was held in-person. The last day of the conference is referred to as “lobby day” since advocates use the resources they learned from the previous days and apply their expertise to lobby members of Congress to support key pieces of federal anti-hunger legislation. We are fortunate that Hunger Coalition President & CEO Anahid Brakke represented the organization in person and led a delegation of advocates in meeting with our elected officials. This delegation included Casey Castillo, CEO, Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank; Chris Carter, Vice President of Communications, Marketing & Public Affairs, Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and Angeles Nelson, Policy Advocate, NourishCA. This delegation met with Congresswoman Sara Jacobs and staff from Senator Padilla and Feinstein’s Office, as well as staff from Congressman Peters and Vargas. At each meeting, the latest information on hunger and nutrition insecurity in San Diego was shared and timely and critical opportunities for members of congress to take action were identified.

Every May, the California Hunger Action Coalition (CHAC) organizes Hunger Action Week, a week of action for advocates across the state to meet with their state representatives in the assembly and senate to make one final push for our policy priorities as key legislative deadlines approach: the Governor’s May Revise and suspense day. Hunger Coalition set up meetings with representatives from San Diego. CHAC Hunger Action Week was resounding success! San Diego Hunger Coalition, and its network of partners including San Diego Food Bank, San Diego Food System Alliance, Feeding San Diego and NourishCA met with staff and legislators to make one final push ahead of the crucial suspense day in the Assembly and Senate.

We want to extend our sincerest "thank yous" to the staff of Assemblymember Alvarez, Maienschein and Senator Atkins and thank Assemblymember Ward and Senator Padilla for taking the time to meet with us!

Mauricio Medina (he/him) is the Manager of Public Affairs of San Diego Hunger Coalition

Celebrating Community-Based Organizations' Application Assisters with CalFresh Awareness Month

By Anahid Brakke (she/her)

May is CalFresh Awareness Month! CalFresh, also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a federal food assistance program that provides benefits for eligible households to purchase groceries and bolster food security.  

This month is especially important to build awareness in San Diego County, as one of the main barriers to program participation is a lack of awareness around eligibility requirements. This month, we celebrate the incredible work of application assisters and the importance that they play. Thankfully, we have local community-based organizations (CBOs) that play a significant role in our county to support awareness, outreach, and enrollment efforts. As pillars of the community, CBOs are often the first point of contact for individuals seeking assistance with the application process, and they are uniquely poised to provide supportive, effective, and culturally competent application support through their trained CalFresh Application Assistors.  

For CalFresh Awareness Month, we would like to highlight the crucial role that our subcontracted CBO application assisters fulfill in San Diego County to increase CalFresh enrollment. Application assisters can evaluate someone's eligibility and guide them through the application process, while also deciding how to best support them, by offering the languages a community member(s) prefer and helping to dispel misconceptions or fears about CalFresh with trusted information.  

We are proud to partner with such organizations across the county with rooted connections that can reach unique communities in each place. All organizations subcontracted with the San Diego Hunger Coalition go through our in-depth CalFresh 101 training to help assist with a broad range of applications. It is here where application assisters are trained to advocate for community members and know how to overcome barriers to enrollment. For example, application assisters will go through the process of assisting clients with collecting information such as navigating how to access paystub information since many clients have direct deposit. Application assisters will also sit down with applicants to see if additional expenses such as childcare can be considered to boost benefit amounts. Application assisters in community-based organizations ensure that clients will have a higher likelihood of approval. Many of our partners have been doing this work and contributing to increased nutrition security for years.

You can find our network of partners here: https://sdhunger.org/getcalfresh

You can find our FAQ geared towards community members here: https://www.sdhunger.org/calfresh-for-community-faq. 

Anahid Brakke (she/her) is the President & CEO of San Diego Hunger Coalition

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How families can maximize their CalFresh Benefits

By Anahid Brakke (she/her)

CalFresh benefits provide families with purchasing power and access to healthy, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods. Families have been especially empowered through CalFresh emergency allotments, which were extra benefits provided as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the economy. These provided families with at least $95 more in CalFresh benefits every month.

As of February 28th of 2023, these emergency allotments have officially ended, and many families saw their benefits drop for the first time in three years – some households even saw benefits drop from $281 to the minimum of $23.

CDSS (California Department of Social Services) and counties across California have provided families with communication to prepare them for the end of emergency allotments, but one question lingers on the minds of families and service providers alike – what can families do?

It is especially important for families to ensure that they are receiving the maximum amount of benefits they are eligible for. CalFresh benefit amounts are determined by the family’s net income after deductions from eligible monthly expenses. Reporting these expenses may lead to a higher amount of CalFresh benefits being loaded onto a family’s EBT card every month. The county may request documentation to verify some of these expenses.

If you’d like to read more details about eligible expenses that may increase benefits, we recommend checking out the Maximizing Benefits Flyer (available in English and Spanish). Eligible monthly expenses include:

1.      Shelter Expenses

a.      Contrary to popular belief, shelter expenses are not limited to just mortgage costs or rent payments.

b.      They can also include but are not limited to homeowner association (HOA) fees, taxes and insurance on the house, and repairs to the house caused by natural disaster.

2.      Utility Expenses

a.      Households are eligible to deduct utility costs if costs are separate from rent/shelter costs.

b.      Utilities can include water, heating and cooling costs, gas, telephone costs, sewage, and trash collection.

3.      Dependent Care Expenses

a.      This includes any kind of care costs for children and other dependents (including care for adults).

b.      This can include but is not limited to daycare costs, summer camp costs, Youth Programs (such as YMCA and Boys' and Girls’ Club), and babysitting payments to family, friends, or other individuals.

4.      Child Support Payments

a.      Households are eligible to deduct child support payments to someone outside of their CalFresh household. These do not include alimony payments.

i.     A court-ordered letter will be required by the county for verification of this expense.

5.      Medical Expenses

a.      Households with an elderly or disabled member are eligible to deduct monthly medical expenses.

b.      Allowable medical expenses include but are not limited to: Insurance premiums, medical supplies, hospitalization or outpatient treatment, prescription drugs, transportation costs, dental and eye care, attendant/health aid, maintaining service animals, and medical equipment and associated energy costs.

6.      Homeless Shelter Expenses

a.      Individuals experiencing homelessness are eligible to report expenses related to additional shelter costs. This expense can include but is not limited to:

i.     Car payments (if living in their car)

ii.     Motel payments

iii.     Other shelter expenses

7.      College Students

a.      College students applying for CalFresh may be eligible to deduct their education expenses. This can include tuition, mandatory fees, and other school supplies.

Many families are unaware that these expenses may lead to increased benefits and fail to properly report their eligible monthly expenses. A senior in San Diego county recently reached out to the San Diego Hunger Coalition and shared her experience with reporting expenses. She was originally unaware that her costs to maintain her service animal counted as an eligible medical expense, but after reporting the expense to the county, she successfully saw an increase to her benefits and described the benefit change as “life changing for [herself] and [her] two service dogs.”

Like this senior, many families fail to properly report their eligible monthly expenses, and this can lead to families receiving less benefits than they are actually eligible for.

Takeaways

To ensure that families are receiving the maximum amount of CalFresh benefits possible, it is best to contact the county to report all monthly expenses and check that information on income is accurate. San Diego County’s office can be reached by calling Access at 1-(866) 262-9881.

If you have any questions or would like to get connected with further assistance, please contact the San Diego Hunger Coalition’s CalFresh Team at calfresh@sdhunger.org.

Anahid Brakke (she/her) is the President & CEO of San Diego Hunger Coalition

San Diego Hunger Coalition Presents Innovative Hunger Solutions to USDA

San Diego Hunger Coalition Presents Innovative Hunger Solutions to USDA

In January, the San Diego Hunger Coalition hosted a roundtable discussion  between the region’s hunger-relief community and a delegation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) Administrator Cindy Long. 

One of the main goals of the meeting was to showcase some of the innovative solutions to nutrition insecurity and hunger being deployed in our region by the Hunger Coalition and partner organizations, including:

• The Hunger Free Navigator program

• Hunger Free Mountain Empire initiative

• CalFresh in Schools pilot program

During the roundtable, USDA heard from a host of hunger-relief organizations in San Diego, including the Hunger Coalition, San Diego Food Bank, Feeding San Diego, SBCS, Oceanside Unified School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, and San Ysidro Health. Rep. Sara Jacobs and Rep. Scott Peters also attended the event.

During the meeting and afterward, the federal delegation praised the innovative solutions that organizations in San Diego are spearheading.

“The creativity that is present at the community level here in San Diego to serve those in need, we heard so much about the collaboration, and the constant innovation and evaluation,” said Cindy Long.

Despite the critical and groundbreaking work that San Diego Hunger Coalition and its partners do each day throughout our region, there are still many barriers to addressing nutrition insecurity throughout the county and nationincluding the recent ending of emergency pandemic-era CalFresh aid.

Because of the continued need to address hunger through systemic change, , San Diego Hunger Coalition President & CEO Anahid Brakke recently submitted a letter to USDA Deputy Under Secretary Dean with a list of challenges that could be resolved with help from the federal government.

These challenges and solutions to address hunger include:

• School Meals: Although universal school meals are an incredible achievement, there are some growing pains. Solutions include extending the deadline for schools to apply to Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), adjusting specific metrics in CEP to allow for more school districts to get funding for these universal meals and creating a streamlined and centralized data system for all child hunger programs.

• P-EBT/Summer EBT: Pandemic EBT and Summer EBT programs have long run into data issues, and it’s critical that a centralized and simplified system be created. Additionally, there are funding barriers to overcome, including training for translation services so that these resources can be provided to the people who need them the most.

• CalFresh/SNAP: SDHC advocates for a requirement that States have robust language access so that households with limited English proficiency can benefit from CalFresh. SDHC also believes it’s critical that enrollment is prioritized alongside fraud prevention, and that the federal government reverses course on its ban on SNAP recruitment via various media outlets.

We strongly urge the USDA to implement these critical policy solutions, which wouldn’t just benefit people experiencing nutrition insecurity in San Diego. Applied effectively and strategically, they would help close the meal gap across the country.

The San Diego Hunger Coalition partners with school districts across the County to bring more food to families and more dollars to schools through CalFresh!

Short on time but want to learn more? View our 2-minute CalFresh in Schools highlight reel!

On January 27, 2022, the San Diego Hunger Coalition, in partnership with No Kid Hungry, kicked off a campaign to support school districts in bringing more federal dollars to school meal programs by enrolling eligible students in CalFresh.

WHAT IS CALFRESH?

CalFresh, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as it’s known federally, provides money for groceries on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card every month.

This campaign was launched with a county-wide conversation geared towards school district leaders on what CalFresh is and how the program can help their schools prepare for California’s implementation of School Meals for All. Joining the Hunger Coalition were presenters from the County of San Diego Office of Education and Health and Human Service Agency, Vista, Borrego Springs and San Diego Unified School District leadership, community-based application assistors from Feeding San Diego and Chula Vista Community Collaborative, and national child nutrition advocates from No Kid Hungry. The kickoff was well attended, with representatives from 28 school districts, 42 community organizations and 8 government offices to share the need for outreach and opportunities for collaboration.

Participants learned:

• Why CalFresh is good for kids, schools, and nutrition program, and how increasing CalFresh enrollment supports schools’ general operating and nutrition services budgets.

• Basics on the CalFresh program, including who is eligible and how to apply.

• Easy ways to get the word out to parents and offer help to families applying.

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Visit www.sdhunger.org/calfreshinschools  for resources to help strengthen CalFresh in your school.

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Why CalFresh Outreach is Good for Students

When kids are enrolled in CalFresh, they get the food they need to succeed both at home and school. California families with children receive an average of $373 a month to help parents afford groceries, pre-COVID. During the pandemic, a family of four receives $835 a month. When students consistently get the food they need, it leads to lower rates of chronic absenteeism, stronger test scores, fewer trips to the nurse and fewer disruptions caused by hungry behavior.

Why CalFresh Outreach is Good for Schools

Students enrolled in CalFresh are automatically certified for free school meals. That means fewer school meal applications to process. CalFresh also improves a school’s ability to operate free summer and afterschool meal programs and to adopt the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), federal funding to serve free meals to all students during the school day. Learn more about CEP by reading our issue brief.

Why CalFresh Outreach is Good for Nutrition Programs

School nutrition programs are getting ready to undergo a transformational change, and CalFresh can help. To prepare for the implementation of Universal Meals for All, new legislation that will require all schools across the state of California to offer free meals to all students in the 2022/2023 school year, increasing CalFresh enrollment and adopting CEP will provide critical federal funding for school meal programs. Cathy Paredes, the Nutrition Services Director at Borrego Springs Unified School District, explained that CEP enrollment is a win-win-win. Students get an increased variety of foods available at no cost to them, and nutrition departments spend less time doing paperwork allowing for more time to meal prep and menu plan.

Get involved!

“When we impact one school district, one child, one community, collectively we impact the entire state and the entire nation.” Cipriano Vargas, Vista Unified School District School Board President

Visit www.sdhunger.org/calfreshinschools  for resources to help strengthen CalFresh in your school. Resources available include:

• Full recording of the CalFresh in Schools Launch

• Toolkit with social media content, robo-call, text message and email scripts to support parent outreach

• Recommendations on how to connect with a CalFresh application assistor near your school.             

Help your team better connect nutrition insecure San Diegans to available food assistance. Register for one of our upcoming Hunger Free Navigator trainings where you and your team will gain knowledge to better understand and connect to food assistance resources across the county.

SSAB Victory: County updates Public Charge info on website!

Celebrate this victory with us!

In March 2021, the changes to the Public Charge Rule implemented by the Trump Administration in 2019 were reversed. Immigrants in the US no longer have to fear benefits affecting citizenship. We celebrate the county has updated its website to reflect this change and provide additional resources for immigrants.

Social Services Advisory Board Ad-Hoc Committee on County Public Charge Communications:

Appaswamy (Vino) Pajanor
SSAB Vice-Chair & CEO of Catholic Charities

Carol Lewis
Director of El Cajon Collaborative

Rachel Morineau
Community Engagement Director of SBCS

Under our CEO Anahid Brakke’s leadership, one of the current priorities of the County’s Social Services Advisory Board is addressing the County of San Diego’s limited communications on Public Charge. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of an ad-hoc committee of SSAB members with support from the Hunger Coalition team, the County has so far:

1. Created a new link to “Food and Medical Assistance” on its homepage under Popular Services.

2. This link takes the user to a new, easier-to-navigate landing page for Self-Sufficiency Programs.

3. Included a link on the Self-Sufficiency page for Public Charge, which now includes a series of documents from Protecting Immigrant Families.

In 2022, the SSAB Ad-Hoc Public Charge Committee and our team will continue to meet and push the County for further improvements to its Public Charge page and other related communications, so that eligible residents know their rights and feel welcome and safe in accessing CalFresh and other vital County services and programs.  

Visit sdhunger.org/safe for more resources regarding Public Charge

San Diego Hunger Coalition Endorses Stop Child Hunger Act of 2021

U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) of the 49th congressional district representing North County San Diego and South Orange County, along with Sen. Murray (D-WA), and Rep. Hayes (D-CT), introduced the Stop Child Hunger Act of 2021. The Stop Child Hunger Act establishes a permanent, nationwide EBT program to ensure children who rely on school meals do not go hungry during school breaks and closures.

Pre-COVID, half of all public school students - over 250,000 children -- were enrolled in the Free & Reduced Price Meal Program. When schools close, whether for a scheduled school closure like summer or an unscheduled school closure like a pandemic or wildfire, families often struggle to ensure their children have the nutritious food they need to learn, grow, and thrive. For kids who rely on school meals for consistent nutrition, missed meals mean setbacks in physical health, emotional health, and academic fulfillment.

COVID-19 forced schools into distanced learning, causing millions of children nationwide to lose access to free and reduced-price school meals. As a result, food insecurity increased most dramatically among families with school-age kids. In San Diego County alone, food insecurity rose from 1 in 5 children to 2 in 5 children since the start of the pandemic. The Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) program, introduced in 2020, was quickly recognized by families and anti-hunger advocates as the most direct and effective way to close the child meal gap during times of school closures.

The rise in food insecurity while school is out of session is not unique to the pandemic. Food insecurity among children increases every summer when schools close their doors, with students of color disproportionately affected. With this knowledge, the Stop Child Hunger Act of 2021 was introduced to build upon the success from the P-EBT program, establishing a permanent nutrition program for eligible children when they are out of school.

“This pandemic exposed how serious the child hunger crisis is when kids aren’t being fed at school, and we must do more to fill the void so every child has the nutrition they need to grow and thrive year-round,” said Rep. Levin. “Our Stop Child Hunger Act will ensure that eligible families have the benefits they need to put food on the table and replace meals that kids would typically receive at school, building off programs we know work well."

The Stop Child Hunger Act of 2021 will ensure that:

• Pandemic-EBT is converted from a pilot into a permanent, nationwide program.

• When schools are closed for more than 5 days, EBT benefits are authorized for eligible households with balance worth the daily value of school lunch and breakfast up to a maximum of $123 a month per child.

  • This includes summer and winter school breaks.

• Benefit cards can be used to purchase food from stores that accept CalFresh.

San Diego Hunger Coalition proudly endorses the Stop Child Hunger Act of 2021, with CEO Anahid Brakke stating, “No child should ever have to experience the devastating impacts of hunger or malnutrition. Yet every summer, we see parents struggling to put enough food on the table when school meals aren’t available. The Stop Child Hunger Act of 2021 offers an easy, practical solution: give parents with very low incomes a little extra money on an EBT card when school is out, so they can purchase more healthy food for their kids. The funds are spent in local grocery stores, parents can buy what their kids will eat and, most importantly, children don’t have to worry about getting enough to eat during school breaks. I commend Congressman Levin for listening to the voices of his district and applying the lessons learned from this devastating pandemic to make lasting change to end childhood hunger.” 

Business Leaders, Legislators, Advocates keep kids fed

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself without a job, your kids were no longer allowed to go to school in person, and you had to start skipping meals because you were running out of food? This is the reality that many Americans are now facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Diego Hunger Coalition knows that many families don’t know where to turn, how to find food assistance, or what tomorrow holds for their prospects for a stable and healthy household. That’s why we work with our over 150 partners to ensure that everyone has access to safe, dignified, and reliable food assistance when they need it. Especially our children. Working with government, business leaders, nonprofits, and school districts, we have been advocating on behalf of families to ensure that all children ages 18 and under will receive free school meals until the current public crisis passes.

Schools fight hunger, too!

When schools were closed for safety at the beginning of the pandemic, school nutrition service departments mobilized to ensure that kids would continue to receive school meals even if classes were canceled. As unemployment rates skyrocketed, it quickly became clear just how important these meals are to struggling families. The United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA), under direction from Congress, started making exceptions that allowed schools to serve free meals to every child 18 and under.

In July, the USDA announced that this would stop.

The result was a 90% drop in school meal participation. Schools faced a financial cliff and would be forced to stop serving meals in as little as two months. Food producers experienced a precipitous drop in business and faced the certainty of hundreds of layoffs. Families struggled with the sudden loss of as many as 10 meals per week for their kids. During historic unemployment and a global pandemic, the loss of this vital food assistance resource would be devastating.

Advocating for Our Kids

San Diego Hunger Coalition played a critical role in local advocacy to reverse the USDA’s decision to limit schools’ ability to serve students meals. We mobilized and engaged local education, hunger relief, and business communities while working with legislators to gain support and momentum in Washington. Three letters supporting the continuation of free school meals for every student were sent to the USDA signed by U.S. representatives and California legislators. The Hunger Coalition also partnered with Representative Ilhan Omar (MN) to gather more support in the House.

The Hunger Coalition knows that food insecurity affects entire communities, which is why we invited local businesses to the table. We learned from local food producers that the USDA’s policy preventing free school meals during COVID-19 would result in major cutbacks and layoffs. We added their voice to the call for action by the USDA and sent a letter signed by 20 food producers and distributors, including major corporations such as Tyson Foods, Hollandia Dairy, and Sysco San Diego. It was the only letter of its kind demonstrating the far-reaching impact that losing school meals would have.

What Happened?

All of this advocacy was successful! We worked with state and national partners to put pressure on the USDA from business leaders, school districts, nonprofits, and legislators across the country. On August 31st, they announced that they were re-extending flexibilities for schools to allow all children ages 18 & under to receive free meals at school through December 31, 2020. This is a big win for hunger relief during Coronavirus, but it’s not the end of our work.

The USDA has given no indication that these flexibilities will be extended through the end of the school year, even should the restrictive safety measures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic continue. This has led school districts, legislators, business leaders, and advocates to ask what happens on January 1st when flexibilities allowing schools to serve free meals to all of their students end?

San Diego Hunger Coalition will work with our partners to keep the pressure on the USDA to ensure that all of our kids are getting enough to eat to keep them healthy, happy, and strong.

Help Us Spread the Word: Accessing School Meals is Easy!

Want to know more about meals being offered in your neighborhood? We’ve got you covered!

• Children 18 and under are eligible for free breakfast and lunch at schools.

• Most districts have set up drive-thru and walk-up pick-ups.

• Students do not need to be present to receive meals. Parents, please check with your district for requirements.

• More information is available at sdhunger.org/meals-for-kids.

Through December 31, 2020, parents may pick up free meals for all students ages 18 & under at any school location. Please check with your school district for requirements and mealtimes: sdcoe.net/studentmeals.

Looking to the future: Feeding more kids after COVID-19

Once the global pandemic ends and everything goes back to normal, what happens to families that have been relying on the free school meals for their kids that were provided as part of the COVID-19 response?

Before the pandemic even started, San Diego Hunger Coalition teamed up with California Food Policy Advocates and Open San Diego to develop technology that would allow school districts to leverage an existing but underutilized child nutrition program that allows schools to serve Universal Free Meals to all of their students, the Community Eligibility Provision. Working together, the three organizations developed an online tool that helped school districts optimize their applications for the program and increase their likelihood of approval.

When Coronavirus hit, the partners stayed the course and completed the project. Now, San Diego Hunger Coalition provides technical assistance to school districts, paired with the new online tool, to help schools get the most out of their application. Already, San Diego County schools have seen great success.

With our help, 4 districts, or 68 schools, expanded their Universal Free Meals. That means that an addition 27,000 students will receive free meals once we’re on the other side of the pandemic.

It may seem redundant to continue advocating for this program while all students receive free meals during the pandemic. However, the policies and flexibilities that allow schools to feed every student during COVID-19 expire on December 31, 2020. These schools that have been approved through the Community Eligibility Program will be allowed to continue providing free meals for every child for the next four years!

If you know a school or school district that you would like to see approved to serve Universal Free Meals, let us know!

Hunger Advocacy Network's 2020 Legislative Priorities

2020 has presented unusual challenges for hunger relief in the United States. The Hunger Advocacy Network (HAN) has focused its attention on federal and state legislation and policies that ease the strain felt by millions of Americans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because of the unusual times in which we find ourselves, HAN has voted to focus efforts on three bills in the 2020 California legislative cycle that will advance hunger relief efforts throughout the State.

Legislative advocacy is one of the most effective ways to implement lasting change by becoming an active part of American democracy. Below are easy-read overviews of the 2020 state legislative priorities.

Questions? Contact John Millspaugh, Policy & Engagement Manager, at john@sdhunger.org.

Legistlative Priorities:

AB 2413 CalFresh Eligibility & Reporting

SB 33 Online EBT Purchasing

SB 882 Simplified CalFresh Application

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AB 2413 (Ting) CalFresh Eligibility and Reporting

Update 7/02/2020: Gutted and amended to focus on climate change. Not a HAN priority.

Background: The application for CalFresh (known nationally as SNAP or food stamps) is a long process that can be burdensome on both those applying for assistance and the government agencies who administer the program. One of the biggest hurdles for applicants is the need to provide verification of income and expenses at least twice per year. This often takes the form of various documents such as pay stubs or signed letters from an employer. This results in increased “churn” or individuals who lose their benefits when they are still eligible and must reapply. Churn creates an additional burden on individuals and families in need of assistance and on government agencies who must process these unnecessary additional applications.

What This Bill Does: This bill will simplify and streamline the application and reporting process for CalFresh. It will allow applicants to self-confirm income and expenses, also known as self-attestation. This is expected to reduce churn. The bill will also require government agencies to implement text messaging reminders for individuals who must file a mid-year report or recertify their eligibility for CalFresh. The bill will also streamline the application process by improving dual enrollment whereby an individual who applies for Medi-Cal and is likely eligible for federal food assistance will be provided with a pre-filled application for CalFresh using the information they have provided for Medi-Cal enrollment or recertification.

Impact: The financial impact is minimal, estimated in the low- to mid-hundreds of thousands. The policy changes, if implemented, will likely result in increased enrollment, increased retention of benefits, and a streamlined application process that will reduce the burden on applicants and ease administrative logjams. The bill would impact all CalFresh recipients and applicants, who total more than 300,000 annually in San Diego alone.

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SB 33 (Skinner) Online EBT for Grocery Purchases

Updated 8/20/2020: Held under submission by Committee on Appropriations. Dead.

Background: CalFresh is California’s name for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provides monthly grocery benefits based on income and household size to eligible individuals. Benefits are loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card and may be used at retailers authorized by the state of California to accept EBT payments. Hunger advocate studies demonstrate several barriers to using EBT cards at authorized retailers, including mobility and transportation limitations, as well as a simple lack of retailers within a given community. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the ability to make online grocery purchases for home delivery using EBT was limited to a small pilot in only a couple of states. In April 2020, online purchasing was temporarily approved for California for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, but only for Amazon and Wal-Mart.

What This Bill Does: This bill is expected to be revised. Originally, the bill created a stakeholder group that would begin meeting February 2021 to make recommendations to the California Department of Social Services on how to prepare for a statewide rollout of online purchases using EBT cards. This would help guide safe and ethical standards for online EBT purchases. In April 2020, after the bill was drafted, online EBT purchases were authorized due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advocates and hunger relief experts expect the current version of the bill to be reworked to:

• Expand online EBT purchasing beyond the current pandemic;

• Authorize the exploration of additional online retailers (beyond Walmart and Amazon); and

• Safeguard online EBT users from aggressive marketing and from having their personal information compromised or sold.

Impact: The fiscal impact is expected to be in the low hundred thousands. Online EBT purchasing is expected to make it easier for CalFresh users to access healthy and fresh food via home delivery. This bill is particularly important for elderly and disabled persons, rural households, and households in food deserts. The bill would impact all CalFresh recipients and applicants, who total more than 300,000 annually in San Diego alone.

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SB 882 (Wiener) Simplified CalFresh Application for Seniors & Adults with Disabilities

Updated 6/19/2020: Held under submission by Committee on Appropriations. Dead.

Background: CalFresh (known nationally as SNAP or food stamps) is one of our most effective tools for combatting food insecurity. The application process can be unnecessarily burdensome, especially for older adults and individuals with a disability who have no income. The application for CalFresh is a difficult 16-page document. Regular reporting requirements, including signatures, often lead to individuals losing access to benefits even though they remain eligible. San Diego County is one of the few counties in California that allows for telephonic signatures. Under the COVID-19 pandemic, the application process was made easier to accommodate a 300% increase in applicants. Many of the temporary COVID-19 policy changes are included in this bill for long-term policy and have proven successful.

California participates in the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) which allows States to streamline the application process for CalFresh/SNAP. However, California has not participated in the parts of this program that allows for user-friendly applications for seniors and the waiving of semi-annual reports for ESAP households.*

*An ESAP household is one in which all members are elderly or disabled and do not have any income.

What This Bill Does: This bill would require California to participate in all aspects of ESAP. This means that all counties must accept telephonic signatures and implement simplified applications for older adults with no income and people with disabilities with no income. Some streamlined application policies implemented during COVID-19 would continue beyond the pandemic, including the waiver of semi-annual reporting for ESAP households.

Impact: Financial impact is estimated to be a one-time cost of $1 million. However, this cost will be offset by an estimated annual savings of $7.6 million due to decreased administrative burden on counties. It is also expected that there will be an increase in applications, approvals, and CalFresh benefits retention.

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