The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as CalFresh in California, is one of the most effective ways to combat childhood hunger in America. The CalFresh program supplements a family’s food budget in order 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 healthy and nutritious food they need if 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.
Families with children eligible for CalFresh may be eligible for Med-Cal Coverage as well. To find out if you are eligible for both CalFresh and Medi-Cal, visit www.BenefitsCal.com.
Public charge rules do not apply to programs like CalFresh, Pandemic EBT, WIC, and school meal programs. Getting CalFresh will not affect your immigration status, or your chances of getting legal permanent residency in the future. For more information about immigration and public benefits, visit KeepYourBenefits.org.
**CalFresh & P-EBT food benefits will NOT risk your Immigration Status**
No Kid Hungry is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. Share Our Strength is a member of the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.
When kids are enrolled in CalFresh, they get the food they need to succeed both at home and school. But many newly eligible families may not know they qualify or how to sign up. As trusted messengers, schools and community organizations are important resources of information for families.
CalFresh helps kids at home: Now is a great time to enroll or renew for CalFresh benefits! California families with children can spend less time worrying about getting food on the table and more time with their family.
CalFresh helps kids at school: Students enrolled in CalFresh are directly certified for free school meals.
CalFresh helps kids in the classroom: When students consistently get the food they need, it leads to lower rates of chronic absenteeism, stronger test scores and fewer disruptions caused by hungry behavior or trips to the nurse.
CalFresh helps school nutrition budgets: Students enrolled in CalFresh are automatically certified for free school meals. That means fewer school meal applications to process and fewer unpaid meal charges.
CalFresh helps schools qualify for more programs: When CalFresh reaches more eligible students, it improves a school’s ability to operate free summer and afterschool meal programs and to adopt the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which enables eligible schools to serve meals to all students at no cost to families.
CalFresh Outreach County and Social Marketing Toolkits
No Kid Hungry is joining state, counties, and community-based organizations across California bringing awareness, dispelling myths and assisting families with CalFresh. We invite you to check out various Southern California county and social marketing toolkits to help you partner with your schools and spread the word about CalFresh.
Want to see the challenge, toolkit and webinar in your school district or county? Contact us.
The CalFresh Outreach Social Marketing Toolkit was created to help partners get the word out to families about CalFresh food benefits. This toolkit includes a variety of ready to use assets to help you quickly and easily communicate with families. The social marketing toolkit includes social media graphics and social media posts in 13 languages. The graphics are designed for Instagram and can be used for Twitter and Facebook as well.
OC CALFRESH OUTREACH TOOLKIT
Download the No Kid Hungry Outreach Toolkit!
This toolkit includes sample CalFresh outreach materials in English and Spanish that can be customized with the local details and specifics that best serve your community in Orange County.
Additional Toolkit: Download OC SSA’s CalFresh Communication Toolkit: K-12 Student Edition
WATCH THE WEBINAR
In this webinar, No Kid Hungry California and the Orange County Department of Education, in partnership with Orange County Health Care Agency and Orange County Social Services Agency, will share an abundance of resources available to help your CalFresh Promotional Efforts. Watch the May 19, 2022 Webinar and Download Presentation Deck.
HOW TO ENROLL
To enroll for CalFresh benefits, visit GetCalFresh.org. For more information about CalFresh or how to enroll, visit the Orange County Social Services Agency.
LA CALFRESH OUTREACH TOOLKIT
Download the No Kid Hungry Toolkit!
This toolkit includes sample CalFresh outreach materials in English and Spanish that can be customized with the local details and specifics that best serve your community in Los Angeles County.
WATCH THE WEBINAR
In partnership with Los Angeles County Office of Education, and Departments of Public Health and Public Social Services (DPSS), No Kid Hungry hosted a webinar on May 16, 2022 about the role of CalFresh in benefitting both schools and families and published a Outreach Toolkit for Los Angeles County school districts. Watch the May 16, 2022 Webinar Recording and Download the Presentation Deck.
HOW TO ENROLL
To enroll for CalFresh benefits, visit BenefitsCal.com. For more information about CalFresh or how to enroll, visit Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY CALFRESH OUTREACH TOOLKIT
This toolkit includes sample CalFresh outreach materials in English and Spanish that can be customized with the local details and specifics that best serve your community in Riverside County.
WATCH THE WEBINAR
In partnership with Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, and Departments of Public Health and Public Social Services (DPSS), No Kid Hungry hosted a webinar on April 20, 2022 about the role of CalFresh in benefitting both schools and families and published a Outreach Toolkit for Riverside County school districts. Watch the April 20, 2022 Webinar and Download Presentation Deck.
HOW TO ENROLL
To enroll for CalFresh benefits, visit BenefitsCal.com. For more information about CalFresh or how to enroll, visit Riverside County Department of Public Social Services.
SB CALFRESH OUTREACH TOOLKIT
This toolkit includes sample CalFresh outreach materials in English and Spanish that can be customized with the local details and specifics that best serve your community in San Bernardino County.
WATCH THE WEBINAR
In partnership with San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and Departments of Public Health and Transitional Assistance, No Kid Hungry hosted a webinar on November 17, 2021 about the role of CalFresh in benefitting both schools and families and published a Outreach Toolkit for San Bernardino County school districts. Watch the Nov. 17, 2021 Webinar and Download the Presentation Deck
HOW TO ENROLL
To enroll for CalFresh benefits, visit BenefitsCal.com. For more information about CalFresh or how to enroll, visit San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department.
SD CALFRESH OUTREACH TOOLKIT
This toolkit includes sample CalFresh outreach materials in English and Spanish that can be customized with the local details and specifics that best serve your community in San Diego County.
WATCH THE WEBINAR
In partnership with the San Diego Hunger Coalition, No Kid Hungry hosted a webinar on January 27, 2022 about the role of CalFresh in benefitting both schools and families and published a Outreach Toolkit for San Diego County school districts. Watch the Jan. 27, 2022 Webinar and Download the Presentation Deck
HOW TO ENROLL
To enroll for CalFresh benefits, visit GetCalFresh.org. For more information about CalFresh, how to enroll, or get assistance visit San Diego Hunger Coalition.
RESOURCES
If you are an individual or family, we encourage you to apply online at www.BenefitsCal.com, GetCalFresh.org, or contact your county social services agency.
For immediate food assistance, find your local food bank. You can also call 2-1-1, a resource helpline for referrals for childcare, affordable housing or shelter, cash assistance, healthcare and more.
Talk to a local expert on public benefits and immigration. Immigrants who can get CalFresh benefits still need to meet the regular CalFresh income guidelines.
For more information and resources visit the CalFresh Program website. This resource was designed to assist county eligibility workers and other partners who provide services to the public.
Last Reviewed: November 16, 2023