CalFresh (SNAP)
Apply for CalFresh:
Individuals are encouraged to apply for CalFresh online using GetCalFresh.org, over the phone by calling 2-1-1, or at a community-based organization.
Verification documents can be sent electronically using GetCalFresh.
If you are in need of CalFresh or just trying to understand the changes that have occurred under the COVID-19 crisis, the California Department of Social Services has created a great 1-page summary to help you find your way.
Getting Help with CalFresh:
HHSA Access Customer Service Center will continue to operate Monday through Friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm and can be reached at 1-866-262-9881. You may also contact a community-based organization.
For individuals who do not have access to a phone or mailing address, customer service desks will be set up outside of Family Resource Center lobbies. External mail pick-up services for individuals experiencing homelessness will be made available.
CalFresh Card Replacements:
Electronic Benefit Transaction (EBT) card replacement requests can be completed over the state EBT phone line: 1-877-328-9677; TTY 1-800-735-2929
CalFresh application assistance is still occurring at many community-based organizations; please consider calling first to request a phone-based appointment or confirm in-person services are available.
Updates
UPDATE January 25, 2021 - The California Department of Social Services has issued new policies regarding college student CalFresh. CalFresh benefits have now been extended in the following ways:
All students who are eligible to participate in a work study program during the regular school year are now eligible for CalFresh. These students are no longer required to be approved for work study and anticipate working.
Students who have a zero dollar expected family contribution are now eligible for CalFresh.
These changes are due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and are expected to remain in effect until 30 days after the federal public health emergency is lifted. Read more here . . .
UPDATE - November 9, 2020 - Starting today, 11/9/2020, all P-EBT cardholder support will transition back to the State of California. The San Diego County’s Access line will no longer be able to assist with pinning or replacing P-EBT cards. Instead, please contact the California EBT Customer Service Center at (877) 328-9677.
UPDATE- November 3, 2020 - **THE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE IS STILL IN EFFECT** Earlier this week, the Northern District of Illinois issued a decision vacating the Department of Homeland Security’s public charge regulations nationwide. Unfortunately, this morning, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the decision pending its appeal, meaning that the DHS public charge rule can now be implemented while litigation continues.
UPDATE - November 03, 2020: The USDA has approved California for an emergency CalFresh/SNAP allotment for the month of November. Everyone who is approved for/receiving CalFresh during the month of November 2020 will automatically receive the maximum allowable benefit based on household size. The additional benefits will be loaded onto EBT cards during the month of December.
UPDATE - October 19, 2020 - Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) has been extended to cover August and September. New P-EBT cards and benefits will automatically be mailed to all households who received P-EBT during the previous round. If you have already received P-EBT benefits, you do not need to take any actions, you will receive benefits for August and September automatically.
At this time, the State of California is not accepting new applicants for P-EBT. A future round of P-EBT will be announced in the near future during which new applications will likely be accepted. Please check back here for more information.
10/26/2020 - Due to the wildfires and effective immediately, all approved retailers in San Diego County are authorized to accept CalFresh/SNAP payment for hot foods and foods meant to be consumed on the premises. This means that all CalFresh recipients may use their EBT cards to purchase hot prepared foods at participating grocery retailers and restaurants.
10/19/2020 - Federal courts have struck down the new SNAP (CalFresh) policy for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents which would have deprived over 700,000 Americans of SNAP food assistance. This rule will not go into effect at this time, although the court decision might be appealed. We will keep you updated.
10/12/2020: Calfresh application and recertification interviews have been waived through June 30, 2021! Applicants and recipients will not be required to interview for benefits if they have submitted completed paperwork with no need for further clarification.
9/29/2020: The USDA has approved California for an emergency CalFresh/SNAP allotment for the month of October. Everyone who is approved for/receiving CalFresh during the month of October 2020 will automatically receive the maximum allowable benefit based on household size. The additional benefits will be loaded onto EBT cards by November 15th.
September emergency allotments will be issued by October 18th.
9/29/2020: CalFresh income limits and benefit amounts have received a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) effective October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021.
COLA stands for Cost of Living Adjustment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture adjusts CalFresh income guidelines, deductions, and maximum allotment amounts every year based on changes to the cost of living. These adjustments go into effect every October 1st. Here is a COLA fact sheet for outreach workers that outlines the new income guidelines, deductions, and maximum benefit amounts for October 1, 2020 - September 30, 2021.
Some CalFresh households will see an increase in their monthly benefit amount due to the increase in deductions and maximum benefit amounts. Households will receive a Notice of Action explaining the change.
Another important note: Applicants previously denied benefits because they were over income should consider reapplying if their income falls within the new limits.
9/23/2020: The United States House of Representatives has pass a bi-partisan continuing resolution that does several things to fight hunger during COVID-19:
Extends the Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) program that provides additional money for groceries for children who are eligible and enrolled in the Free or Reduced Price School Meals Program.
Gives the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to extend certain policies and waivers that make it easier for schools to safely serve meals to every child during the pandemic.
Gives the USDA the authority to extend certain policies and waivers that make it easier for Americans to enroll in SNAP/CalFresh.
These extensions will be in effect through the end of the Federal Fiscal Year 2021. The authorities given to the USDA do not automatically extend the policies and waivers in question, it merely gives the department the ability to do so. Learn more at https://frac.org/news/hr-cr-hunger.
Please note: This bill must still pass through the Senate and be signed by the President prior to going into effect. Political experts believe this is very likely. We will update you here as the continuing resolution moves forward.
8/2/2020 - Public charge is currently in effect in California. The nationwide preliminary injunction that blocked the rule during the pandemic no longer applies to California. Learn more about the changes to public charge at sdhunger.org/safe.
Please note: Most people who are eligible for CalFresh are not subject to the Public Charge Rule. A child or someone else in your household will not affect your status.
8/25/2020 - The USDA has approved California for an emergency CalFresh/SNAP allotment for the month of September. Everyone who is approved for/receiving CalFresh during the month of September 2020 will automatically receive the maximum allowable benefit based on household size. The additional benefits will be loaded onto EBT cards in early October.
We encourage everyone who may be eligible to apply for CalFresh this month to receive the emergency allotment.
8/3/2020 - The USDA has approved California for an emergency CalFresh/SNAP allotment for the month of August. Everyone who is approved for/receiving CalFresh during the month of August 2020 will automatically receive the maximum allowable benefit based on household size. We encourage everyone who may be eligible to apply for CalFresh this month to receive the emergency allotment.
7/22/2020 - The USDA has reconsidered their denial of California’s request to extend the CalFresh interview waiver. CalFresh applications and recertifications will not require interviews through August 31, 2020!
We encourage everyone who may be eligible to apply during the month of August and we ask our community partners to spread the word. In the meantime, San Diego Hunger Coalition will be advocating with our partners to extend the waiver through the end of September 2020.
7/21/2020 - The USDA has approved an extension of the work requirement waiver for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) through June 2021 or when the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a national emergency, whichever comes first.
7/20/2020 - All counties in California must reinstate interviews for CalFresh applications and recertifications beginning August 1, 2020.
The California Department of Social Services submitted a request to extend interview waivers and was denied by the USDA. San Diego Hunger Coalition is the lead author on a letter, signed by 35 hunger relief organizations, encouraging elected officials to urge the UDSA to reconsider this decision. We will keep you updated on developments as they arise.
6/25/2020: The emergency allotment for CalFresh benefits has been extended to July! If you apply during the month of July, you will automatically receive the maximum CalFresh benefit based on household size. This additional benefit will be sent to you during the month of August 2020.
5/8/2020: CalFresh re-certifications and SAR-7s will resume beginning for the submit month of June 2020. Anyone with a report due should receive a text message alerting them that their reports will resume.
For questions about your reporting cycle, please contact Access at (866) 262-9881
Initial application interviews and re-certification interviews are waived until further notice. Incomplete applications may require additional follow-up; however, when all mandatory information and verifications are on file, an interview is not required for the case to be processed.
5/21/2020: The CalFresh Emergency Allotment has been extended for June 2020! Anyone who receives, or applies and is approved for, CalFresh Benefits in June will automatically receive the maximum benefit based on household size. These emergency allotments are received during each subsequent month:
May emergency allotment benefits will be available for use on June 14th.
June emergency allotment benefits will be available for use on July 12th.
4/28/2020: CalFresh Recipients may now use their EBT cards to purchase groceries online at Walmart and Amazon.com for home delivery. Please note: CalFresh benefits cannot be used to cover delivery costs.
More Information available on the California Department of Social Services website.
04/09/2020: Our partners, California Department of Social Services, California Association of Food Banks, California Food Policy Advocates, and Western Center on Law and Poverty have made several flyers available that have great information about recent changes to CalFresh, including a couple client-facing flyers.
CalFresh Response to COVID-19 (California Department of Social Services)
Increase in CalFresh Benefits Client Flyer (English)
Increase in CalFresh Benefits Client Flyer (Espanol)
Increase in CalFresh Benefits Client Flyer (Chinese)
Pandemic EBT
04/08/2020: The USDA has approved California to join the SNAP Online Pilot Program. Soon, Calfresh recipients will be able to use their EBT cards to purchase groceries online at approved web retailers. More details to come.
04/02/2020: To increase food benefits in response to COVID-19, the California Department of Social Services will temporarily increase benefits to current recipients to the maximum allowable amount based on household size. This increase will be in effect for the months of March and April 2020. CalFresh recipients do not have to take any action, benefits will be added to their existing EBT card. Benefit increases will be available for use the following month:
March emergency benefits will be available for use on April 12, 2020.
April emergency benefits will be available for use on May 10, 2020.
CalFresh households already receiving the maximum amount are not eligible for additional CalFresh benefits.
04/02/2020: Effective April 1, 2020, the vast majority of initial CalFresh application interviews have been waived in San Diego County and are not required through May 31, 2020.
All new applications that provide verification of identity and all other mandatory information will be processed without an interview. Mandatory information includes:
Applicant’s identity
Any gross income
If applicable, immigration status and/or child support payments
Incomplete applications may require additional follow-up; however, when all mandatory information and verifications are on file, an interview is not required for the case to be processed.
Scheduled phone interviews will be used only when information on an application is extremely questionable and eligibility cannot be determined or established otherwise.
CalWORKS intake interviews are still required, but can be completed over the phone through the end of May.
03/16/2020: Governor Newsome issued an executive order to protect safety net services in California. The order waves eligibility re-determination for 90 days. If you or a someone you know is due to re-certify or provide asemi-annual report to maintain CalFresh benefits, SAR 7s and recertification reports are not currently required. All current recipients will continue to receive will continue to receive CalFresh benefits uninterrupted for the next 90 days. Calfresh recipients with an Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) are still required to report income changes, if their income exceeds their household’s IRT, within 10 days from the date of change.
Additional Assistance for CalFresh Recipients
Expensify.org is supporting CalFresh recipients by reimbursing up to $50 in groceries per family when they use their EBT card to make a purchase. Learn how to take advantage of this incredible opportunity at expensify.org/hunger.
