CalFresh

The CalFresh Program (formerly known as Food Stamps) helps low-income households increase their food-buying power to meet their household’s nutritional needs. CalFresh benefits issued through Electronic Benefit Transfer, also known as EBT card, can be used in grocery stores and participating Farmers Markets. Homeless, elderly or disabled persons may purchase prepared meals from participating restaurants with their EBT card. Effective June 1, 2019, SSI/SSP recipients in California are also eligible for CalFresh benefits, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.

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Expedited CalFresh: Receive Food Benefits Quickly

You may be eligible for Expedited CalFresh (ES) benefits within three days, or even as early as the same day after the application is received, if you meet one of three requirements!

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• Receive CalWORKS or General Relief
  
• Have low-income or no income
• Have limited property
  
• Receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP)
• Are a U.S. Citizen or a legal resident
• Are an immigrant that meets certain criteria
  • Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP)
    
    The Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP) provides cash aid, food assistance, employment services, and health care assistance to eligible non-citizen victims of human trafficking who have applied or intend to apply for a T-Visa and victims of domestic violence and other serious crimes who have applied for a U-Visa.

  T-Visa, U-Visa non-citizens, and Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA) self-petitioners are not required to provide a Social Security Number to apply for CalFresh benefits. However, they must meet other CalFresh eligibility requirements, such as income.

  Access additional eligibility criteria
  
  Minimum requirements to file a CalFresh application:
  

  1. Applicant’s full name and
  2. Household’s address (unless homeless, district address is acceptable), and
  3. Signature of the Head of household, any adult household member, an authorized representative, or a responsible household member.

  CalFresh Benefit Allotment

  As of October 1, 2023, all CalFresh customers will see an INCREASE in their monthly benefit amount due to the annual Cost of Living Adjustment increase!