CalFresh/SNAP

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If you need help in your language, call your local county office. You have the right to ask for help in your own language. There is no cost for this help.

Si necesita ayuda en su idioma, llame a la oficina local de su condado. Tienes derecho a pedir ayuda en tu propio idioma. Esta ayuda no tiene ningún costo.

Human Services Agency Call Center:

1-877-410-8813

Centro de Llamadas de Agencia de Servicios Humanos:

1-877-410-8813

Watch Out for EBT Scams:

https://youtu.be/opg52FxKoSo

ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER (EBT) CARD

If you qualify for CalFresh assistance, you will receive a plastic card called an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. You can use your EBT card like a bank debit card to access your CalFresh benefits to purchase food at most grocery stores, convenience stores, and farmer's markets.

Request a replacement EBT Card or check your balance by calling 1-877-328-9677
Check the balance on your EBT account at https://www.ebt.ca.gov/cardholder/
Please be cautious as there are many EBT card scams that are occurring.
Do not give out your EBT card number and PINs as the county, state, and federal government will NEVER ask you for your EBT card number and PIN by a text message, phone call, or email.
Find retailers and ATMS that accept your EBT card without charges at the California EBT Client website.

CalFresh Program

CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps) is a program that supplements a low-income family’s food budget to ensure they are getting adequate nutrition. CalFresh is proud to play a critical role in reducing hunger and poverty and improving health by providing nutrition assistance to millions of low-income households through an array of vital services. CalFresh has the power to reduce hunger, support health, expand opportunity, and even respond to disasters. CalFresh provides monthly benefits to help households purchase the food they need if eligible.

The shared CalFresh vision of California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and Kings County HSA is for all people in California to have better access to better food for better living.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

A CalFresh Household may be a family, an individual, or any combination that purchases food and prepares meals together. A child living with parents cannot be a separate household until age 22.

Citizens of the United States or non-citizens who are legally residing in the U.S. are eligible to apply for CalFresh. Non-citizen parents may be able to receive benefits for their children who are citizens. Some income and property limits are reviewed to see if the CalFresh household is eligible. Property used as a home is exempt from property limits.

California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is a state-funded program for legal permanent non-citizens legally present in the U.S. and determined ineligible for federal SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits solely due to their immigration status.

The benefits you may be eligible to receive depend on your monthly income and household size. Below is the CalFresh Benefits maximum benefits listed by Household size effective October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024.

Household Size

Max Allotment

1

$291

2

$535

3

$766

4

$973

5

$1,155

6

$1,386

7

$1,532

8

$1,751

For each additional member add

$219

How to Apply

Applicants are required to complete an application. To apply for the CalFresh program, your name, address, and signature are the minimum information the application must have. Applications are accepted in person, by phone, by mail, fax, and electronically via online application. Applicants who choose to apply online can do so at BenefitsCal.com. You can also download the CalFresh application below and submit it to your local office, by mail or fax at 559-585-0346.

English- CF 285 Spanish-CF 285

EBT SCAM ALERT

There have been reports of the general public receiving unsolicited calls from what appears to be the SNAP toll free information hotline number: 1-800-221-5689. The unsolicited callers are requesting personal information offering assistance for filling out a SNAP application or other non-SNAP related services such as home security systems. Never provide personal information or your credit card number over the phone to unsolicited callers. This outside entity that has “spoofed” the SNAP toll free information hotline number is not affiliated with FNS or SNAP. If you suspect that you are receiving illegitimate calls from 1-800-221-5689, you may file a complaint with the FCC. If you have already fallen victim to this or a similar scam, please visit: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ for more information on identity theft.

You Have the Right To:

Receive an application when you ask for it.
Turn in your application the same day you receive it.
Receive your CalFresh (or be notified that you are not eligible for the program) within 30 days after you turn in your application.
Receive CalFresh within 3 days if you are eligible to expedited services.

BenefitsCal

BenefitsCal is a portal where Californians can get and manage benefits online. This includes food assistance (CalFresh) formerly food stamps, cash aid (CalWORKs, General Assistance, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants), and affordable health insurance (Medi-Cal).

You can apply and manage your benefits online by using our online portal www.BenefitsCal.org

Get answers to your basic questions anytime and anywhere
Check eligibility status
View your current and historical program status
Monitor benefit amounts and check EBT balances
Manage your periodic reports and renewal forms online
Submit periodic reports and upload documents

EBT Online is here

You can now order groceries online and have them delivered to your doorstep using select and participating stores.

You will be able order food online that you would normally buy
with your EBT card in-person and select home delivery*.
*CalFresh Food benefits cannot be used to cover the cost of delivery at this time.

For more information
visit EBT Online at https://www.cdss.ca.gov/ebtonline.

In partnership with state, county, community partners and local offices to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and food security

CDSS has launched a healthy living website https://eatfresh.org/

Pandemic EBT

Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT, is a federal food program. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in partnership with the California Department of Education (CDE), received approval to operate the program in response to COVID-19-related school and childcare closures. The California P-EBT Team is currently operating P-EBT 3.0 and the program's fourth round. P-EBT 4.0, the final round of P-EBT, will benefit school-aged children and young children under six for the school year 2022-23.

Requirements for PEBT 4.0 Eligibility

P-EBT 4.0 is the fourth and final version of the P-EBT program following the federal Public Health Emergency expiration on May 11, 2023.

Young Children Under Age 6

Young children under age 6 are eligible if they:

Were under age 6 as of August 1, 2022, and
Got CalFresh food benefits at least once from August 2022 through May 2023.
Young children will receive up to $36 per month for each month they received CalFresh food benefits during the 2022-23 school year.

School-Age Children

Eligibility requirements for school-age children differ for each type of school the student attends.

NSLP/SBP Participating Schools

No application is required for public school students participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP). The CDSS will automatically issue School Year (SY) 2022-23 P-EBT benefits to students who meet all the following requirements:

Student free and reduced-price eligibility requirements:
- Determined eligible in SY 2022-23 for free or reduced-price meals through meal application, alternative income form, direct certification, or designation as homeless, migrant, or foster; or
- Attended a school that participated in Provision 2 or the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), regardless of individual student eligibility.
Independent Study (IS) criteria:
- Missed in-person instruction through excused absences for five school days or more in a month, or
- Eligible for P-EBT in SY 2021-22 due to enrollment in IS and continued to attend school through IS for 5 or more days in a month in SY 2022-23.

Non-NSLP/SBP Participating Schools

For SY 2022-23, P-EBT benefits have been expanded to other groups of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and attending any of the following school types: private and nonpublic participating schools, private virtual, virtual schools that do not participate in NSLP, or SBP, and homeschool children.

An application is required to determine eligibility for children attending a non-NSLP/SBP participating school. The household had to complete the application between July 21, 2023, and August 15, 2023. The online application closed on August 15, 2023; late applications will not be accepted.

The County cannot expedite the process

**P-EBT food benefits will NOT risk your Immigration Status**

P-EBT Helpline

The P-EBT Helpline is also available. The P-EBT Helpline can be reached by calling the EBT Customer Service Center at 1-877-328-9677. This is the same EBT Customer Service Center phone number listed on the back of each P-EBT card. The P-EBT Helpline will be available Monday- Friday 6am-8pm.

The P-EBT Helpline can assist with PIN set up, address changes, and replacement of lost/stolen P-EBT cards.

More information: https://capandemic-ebt.org/ New live chat feature

Text your zip code to 898211, any day, any time to receive information on resources.

2-1-1 provides access to community information and referral services. 2-1-1 brings together organizations in the community to better serve the residents of Kings County. The call is free and available 24/7 or download the 211 intelliful mobile app, website at www.211kingscounty.org

Central California Food Bank and its partners provide services in the community and are dedicated to ending hunger in Central California. You can get information regarding: Services, locations of fresh produce and the locations of all food distributions by visiting their website.

https://ccfoodbank.org/food-locator/