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"content": "\u003cp>A program dedicated to providing low-income California residents with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066120/calfresh-snap-benefits-free-food-stamps-fruit-vegetables-ebt-program\">extra money for fruits and vegetables\u003c/a> is likely to go under this summer if additional funds are not allocated in this year’s state budget, according to \u003ca href=\"https://act.nourishca.org/action/2026-fruit-veggie-petition\">concerned food justice advocates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066120/calfresh-snap-benefits-free-food-stamps-fruit-vegetables-ebt-program\">CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program\u003c/a> provides CalFresh recipients with up to $60 a month of free produce each month, in addition to their benefits. In May alone, the program disbursed over $5 million and “served 95,520 California households,” said Grecia Marquez-Nieblas, senior manager at food policy nonprofit Fullwell, which has \u003ca href=\"https://www.fullwell.us/fruit-vegetable-supplemental-benefits\">backed\u003c/a> the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Overwhelmingly, folks have been telling us that they want it to continue, that it’s made a really positive impact on them,” Marquez-Nieblas said. “Their diabetes is better managed; their high blood pressure is better managed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those people are now at risk of losing access to that support as funds whittle down. The state budget is set to be finalized on June 15, and “as far as we know, there is no continued funding that has been proposed,” Marquez-Nieblas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When this program ends, we’ll have less money to spend, [at] a time when groceries are incredibly more expensive. Gas is more expensive. Everything is more expensive,” she said. “It’s just, unfortunately, a compounding effect. There’s lots of stuff that’s impacting the same people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program is simple to use: When customers purchase food at \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ebt/california-fruit-vegetable-ebt-pilot-project\">participating markets\u003c/a>, like Arteaga’s Food Center in San José, they just swipe their EBT (electronic benefit transfer) card.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066124\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066124\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cropped photo of a female hand carrying a shopping basket while choosing vegetables at a supermarket. Grocery shopping concept. \u003ccite>(Oscar Wong/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For every purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables with that card, customers receive an instant rebate each month, applied to their card. The rebate money can be spent on any food or goods covered by CalFresh, like meat, eggs and dairy — it is not limited to fruits and vegetables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marquez-Nieblas explained that the pilot program has been implemented in three phases — the latest of which received a limited, one-time allocation of $36 million from the state budget. That seems like a large number, “until we realize that there are hundreds of thousands of individuals across the state using the program.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s been proven many times that CalFresh — and programs like this that support people having more money for food — are incredibly impactful for lifting children out of poverty, for supporting seniors with limited incomes, for anybody,” Marquez-Nieblas said. “Foundationally, these programs are good. They’re good for public health.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Food policy advocates said they are hoping for $100 million for the program to continue to operate year-round. Instead, it was reappropriated around $4.8 million — the remaining funds from last year’s budget cycle, in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “May Revise” proposal, according to H.D. Palmer, spokesperson for the California Department of Finance.[aside postID=news_12086417 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SummerMealsGetty.jpg']“The program will operate until funds are fully utilized,” Palmer said in an email to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program’s end would come at a particularly stressful time for CalFresh recipients. This month, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, California has begun enforcing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083922/calfresh-snap-new-work-requirements-rules-2026-hr1-eligibility-who-is-exempt-food-stamps\">new and expanded federal guidelines \u003c/a>that require some CalFresh recipients to work 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month — with a stark reduction in food benefits for those who don’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086417/as-calfresh-guidelines-expand-where-can-students-who-rely-on-school-meals-go\">prompted by the passing of President Donald Trump’s H.R.1\u003c/a> last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not only does it add in the onerous work requirement — a lot of people who are already receiving CalFresh are working — but now they have this bureaucratic paperwork to provide,” said Kathy Saile, California director of national nonprofit No Kid Hungry. “There’s some real concern that people could lose benefits just because they couldn’t figure out the paperwork.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>H.R. 1’s impact, which also cuts food benefits for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">some refugees and asylum seekers\u003c/a>, is apparent, according to federal data analyzed by the nonpartisan research group Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The center estimated that nationwide, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-tracker-people-are-losing-food-assistance-as-the-republican-megabill\">SNAP participation fell by almost 9%\u003c/a> — more than 3.5 million people — between H.R.1’s start in July 2025 and February 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Palmer said the state was taking proactive steps to maintain residents’ enrollment in the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This includes leveraging existing data to determine possible exemptions from the new SNAP work requirements, implementing automation, and conducting client outreach,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11731844\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11731844 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Veronica Aguilar, 36, and son Vladimir, 15, shop for groceries in Pinole. Vladimir spent two months at a shelter for unaccompanied youth in Florida before being released to his mother, who is also seeking asylum.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family shops for groceries in Pinole, California. \u003ccite>(Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He added that the latest budget revision has “a total of $38 million for the CalFood program — which funds food banks for the purchase, storage, and transportation of food grown and/or produced in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a time of rising bureaucratic barriers implemented by H.R. 1, Marquez-Nieblas said the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is part of the state’s food safety net.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is not just about backfill,” she said. “It’s not just about responding to the impacts (of H.R. 1), which are incredibly awful. It’s also about setting ourselves up for success in the future, knowing we have to invest proactively.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marquez-Nieblas said CalFresh recipients should keep their eyes on the California Department of Social Services\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/\"> website\u003c/a> for any possible updates and changes in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A program dedicated to providing low-income California residents with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066120/calfresh-snap-benefits-free-food-stamps-fruit-vegetables-ebt-program\">extra money for fruits and vegetables\u003c/a> is likely to go under this summer if additional funds are not allocated in this year’s state budget, according to \u003ca href=\"https://act.nourishca.org/action/2026-fruit-veggie-petition\">concerned food justice advocates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066120/calfresh-snap-benefits-free-food-stamps-fruit-vegetables-ebt-program\">CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program\u003c/a> provides CalFresh recipients with up to $60 a month of free produce each month, in addition to their benefits. In May alone, the program disbursed over $5 million and “served 95,520 California households,” said Grecia Marquez-Nieblas, senior manager at food policy nonprofit Fullwell, which has \u003ca href=\"https://www.fullwell.us/fruit-vegetable-supplemental-benefits\">backed\u003c/a> the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Overwhelmingly, folks have been telling us that they want it to continue, that it’s made a really positive impact on them,” Marquez-Nieblas said. “Their diabetes is better managed; their high blood pressure is better managed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those people are now at risk of losing access to that support as funds whittle down. The state budget is set to be finalized on June 15, and “as far as we know, there is no continued funding that has been proposed,” Marquez-Nieblas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When this program ends, we’ll have less money to spend, [at] a time when groceries are incredibly more expensive. Gas is more expensive. Everything is more expensive,” she said. “It’s just, unfortunately, a compounding effect. There’s lots of stuff that’s impacting the same people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program is simple to use: When customers purchase food at \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ebt/california-fruit-vegetable-ebt-pilot-project\">participating markets\u003c/a>, like Arteaga’s Food Center in San José, they just swipe their EBT (electronic benefit transfer) card.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066124\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066124\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cropped photo of a female hand carrying a shopping basket while choosing vegetables at a supermarket. Grocery shopping concept. \u003ccite>(Oscar Wong/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For every purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables with that card, customers receive an instant rebate each month, applied to their card. The rebate money can be spent on any food or goods covered by CalFresh, like meat, eggs and dairy — it is not limited to fruits and vegetables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marquez-Nieblas explained that the pilot program has been implemented in three phases — the latest of which received a limited, one-time allocation of $36 million from the state budget. That seems like a large number, “until we realize that there are hundreds of thousands of individuals across the state using the program.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s been proven many times that CalFresh — and programs like this that support people having more money for food — are incredibly impactful for lifting children out of poverty, for supporting seniors with limited incomes, for anybody,” Marquez-Nieblas said. “Foundationally, these programs are good. They’re good for public health.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Food policy advocates said they are hoping for $100 million for the program to continue to operate year-round. Instead, it was reappropriated around $4.8 million — the remaining funds from last year’s budget cycle, in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “May Revise” proposal, according to H.D. Palmer, spokesperson for the California Department of Finance.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The program will operate until funds are fully utilized,” Palmer said in an email to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program’s end would come at a particularly stressful time for CalFresh recipients. This month, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, California has begun enforcing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083922/calfresh-snap-new-work-requirements-rules-2026-hr1-eligibility-who-is-exempt-food-stamps\">new and expanded federal guidelines \u003c/a>that require some CalFresh recipients to work 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month — with a stark reduction in food benefits for those who don’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086417/as-calfresh-guidelines-expand-where-can-students-who-rely-on-school-meals-go\">prompted by the passing of President Donald Trump’s H.R.1\u003c/a> last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not only does it add in the onerous work requirement — a lot of people who are already receiving CalFresh are working — but now they have this bureaucratic paperwork to provide,” said Kathy Saile, California director of national nonprofit No Kid Hungry. “There’s some real concern that people could lose benefits just because they couldn’t figure out the paperwork.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>H.R. 1’s impact, which also cuts food benefits for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">some refugees and asylum seekers\u003c/a>, is apparent, according to federal data analyzed by the nonpartisan research group Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The center estimated that nationwide, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-tracker-people-are-losing-food-assistance-as-the-republican-megabill\">SNAP participation fell by almost 9%\u003c/a> — more than 3.5 million people — between H.R.1’s start in July 2025 and February 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Palmer said the state was taking proactive steps to maintain residents’ enrollment in the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This includes leveraging existing data to determine possible exemptions from the new SNAP work requirements, implementing automation, and conducting client outreach,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11731844\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11731844 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Veronica Aguilar, 36, and son Vladimir, 15, shop for groceries in Pinole. Vladimir spent two months at a shelter for unaccompanied youth in Florida before being released to his mother, who is also seeking asylum.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/RS35734_IMG_0580-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family shops for groceries in Pinole, California. \u003ccite>(Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He added that the latest budget revision has “a total of $38 million for the CalFood program — which funds food banks for the purchase, storage, and transportation of food grown and/or produced in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a time of rising bureaucratic barriers implemented by H.R. 1, Marquez-Nieblas said the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is part of the state’s food safety net.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is not just about backfill,” she said. “It’s not just about responding to the impacts (of H.R. 1), which are incredibly awful. It’s also about setting ourselves up for success in the future, knowing we have to invest proactively.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marquez-Nieblas said CalFresh recipients should keep their eyes on the California Department of Social Services\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/\"> website\u003c/a> for any possible updates and changes in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "as-calfresh-guidelines-expand-where-can-students-who-rely-on-school-meals-go",
"title": "As CalFresh Guidelines Expand, Where Can Students Who Rely on School Meals Go?",
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"headTitle": "As CalFresh Guidelines Expand, Where Can Students Who Rely on School Meals Go? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>This June, California started enforcing\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083922/calfresh-snap-new-work-requirements-rules-2026-hr1-eligibility-who-is-exempt-food-stamps\"> new and expanded federal guidelines\u003c/a> that will now impact the CalFresh eligibility of households with a child 14 and older, right as the school year ends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The timing has prompted food advocates to remind parents and caregivers that there \u003cem>are \u003c/em>meal options for students throughout summer break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the pandemic, California has been under a statewide waiver that exempted residents from completing a certain number of work hours to be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — known as SNAP nationwide and CalFresh in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now — because of H.R. 1, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083922/calfresh-snap-new-work-requirements-rules-2026-hr1-eligibility-who-is-exempt-food-stamps\">President Donald Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”\u003c/a> — the state must bring back the requirement that some CalFresh recipients must work \u003cem>and \u003c/em>show proof that they are working 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month. For those who don’t fulfill the requirements, a stark reduction in food benefits will ensue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not only does it add in the onerous work requirement — a lot of people who are already receiving CalFresh are working — but now they have this bureaucratic paperwork to provide,” said Kathy Saile, the state director of California’s branch of the national nonprofit No Kid Hungry. “There’s some real concern that people could lose benefits just because they couldn’t figure out the paperwork.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#WherecanteenagersandyoungpeoplefindmealsintheBayAreathissummer\">Where can teenagers and young people find meals in the Bay Area this summer?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>H.R.1’s impact, which also takes away food benefits for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">some humanitarian immigrants\u003c/a>, is apparent, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-tracker-people-are-losing-food-assistance-as-the-republican-megabill\">federal data analyzed\u003c/a> by the nonpartisan research group Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The center estimated that nationwide, SNAP participation fell by almost 9% — more than 3.5 million people — between H.R.1’s start in July 2025 and February 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with being stricter about implementing the work hours, the bill expands the age range. Now, barring exemptions, CalFresh recipients between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not live with a child under the age of 14 are required to fulfill the hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12039841\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12039841\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1364\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-800x546.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-1020x696.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-1536x1048.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-1920x1309.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">First-grade students grab lunch in the cafeteria at Franklin Elementary School on Sept. 7, 2018, in Oakland, California. \u003ccite>(Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Previously, the age range was between 18 and \u003cem>55\u003c/em>. Also notable is that, in the past, parents or caregivers with a child aged 17 or younger were also exempt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new guidelines do not kick in right away for all 5.5 million CalFresh recipients; they apply to new applicants and people who need to recertify their eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rule changes \u003cem>also \u003c/em>do not mean that if a parent loses their benefits, their children will too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078496\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078496\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California’s SNAP benefits shopper pushes a cart through a supermarket in Bellflower, California, on Feb. 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Allison Dinner/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, “what we’re concerned about is that the parent or caregiver may not understand that the whole household is not losing benefits, or may not be able to get the paperwork and the continued recertification for their children,” Saile said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This potential loss for the child may come during the summer, which she said “can be the hungriest time of the year, because they don’t have access to school meals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read more for summertime food options for kids and teens in the Bay Area. Keep in mind that this guide focuses on students 18 and under; there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">a work hour exemption for eligible college students\u003c/a> who are enrolled at least half-time.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"WherecanteenagersandyoungpeoplefindmealsintheBayAreathissummer\">\u003c/a>Where can teenagers and young people go for meals?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Make sure your kid is still on CalFresh\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If someone is a parent who has been impacted by the new work hour guidelines, Saile recommended that they “make sure that they’re staying in close contact with their caseworker.”[aside postID=news_12083922 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg']“Going online and making sure they’re not missing any deadlines or recertification appointments, and just paying attention to those details,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saile pointed to recent research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which found that among 12 states with available data, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/blog/sharp-drop-in-number-of-children-receiving-snap-food-assistance-under-new-federal-law\">“the number of children receiving SNAP food assistance has fallen by more than 700,000”\u003c/a> since H.R.1 in July 2025. The states include Texas, Ohio, Michigan and Massachusetts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even though kids weren’t the stated target of H R.1, it’s certainly resulting in loss of food assistance for children,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is “also the chilling effect,” she said. “There are a lot of families who are afraid to participate in programs right now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Receive your SUN Bucks card\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saile said children on CalFresh are automatically enrolled in other programs like \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks\">SUN Bucks\u003c/a>, where a child can get $120 to buy food during the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The card can be used at places like \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq\">grocery stores, farmers’ markets, Walmart and Amazon\u003c/a>. According to an FAQ from the state, people can use the card to buy food like fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat. However, the card — \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items\">like most EBT cards\u003c/a> — cannot be used to buy things like \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq\">“hot foods, pet foods, cleaning or household supplies, personal hygiene items, or medicine.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the child is on CalFresh, the card “will just come automatically in the mail,” Saile said. “The parent or caregiver just creates a PIN for the card and then can use the card throughout the summer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12086650\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1209px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12086650\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SUN-BUCKS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1209\" height=\"385\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SUN-BUCKS.jpg 1209w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SUN-BUCKS-160x51.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1209px) 100vw, 1209px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Sun Bucks card.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If a child is not enrolled in CalFresh but is income-eligible (\u003ca href=\"https://www.summerebt.org/faq\">in households at or under 185% of federal poverty guidelines\u003c/a>; \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/rs/scales2526.asp\">see California’s breakdown on its website\u003c/a>), Saile said the parent or caregiver should contact their school and ask for \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sunbucks.asp#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20Universal%20Benefits,for%202025%20SUN%20Bucks%20eligibility.\">a universal benefit application form\u003c/a>. The form must be \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq\">submitted back to the school\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents can do that anytime during the summer before Aug. 31, Saile said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the card arrives, it may show up in a plain white envelope “for security reasons,” she said. “And people don’t know what it is. They think it might be a scam.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To recognize it, look for the card’s logo: blocky capitalized letters in orange, yellow and teal that say SUN Bucks. There is a little image of a sun with a knife and fork in the corner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more information, people can call the SUN Bucks hotline at (877) 328-9677, which also has assistance in different languages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Find nearby Summer Meals programs (also known as SUN Meals)\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/california/ca-summer-food-resources/\">SUN Meals\u003c/a> are \u003cem>free \u003c/em>meals available to kids 18 and under at places like schools, libraries and parks throughout the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Depending on the location, kids are \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/program-toolkit/#5\">required\u003c/a> to either eat on-site or take a meal home with them. Some locations will not allow kids to take the meals home with them or have a parent pick up their meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/program-toolkit/#5\">the No Kid Hungry campaign\u003c/a>, no application is required, and no proof of income, residency or citizenship will be requested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https://arcg.is/1Han113\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The United States Department of Agriculture has \u003ca href=\"https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/bded45358b994a8fa009e1f88133eb03?org=USDA-FNS\">a comprehensive and regularly updated map of locations\u003c/a> that young people can visit for SUN Meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the USDA website, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/faqs\">“at most sites, children receive either one or two reimbursable meals each day.”\u003c/a> Meals tend to follow USDA nutrition guidelines, including milk, vegetables, fruit and grain. An example of a meal could be a \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/program-toolkit/#5\">turkey sandwich on wheat bread with an apple and salad\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The No Kid Hungry California campaign suggests \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/california/ca-summer-food-resources/\">on its website\u003c/a> that families double-check the hours of the meal site before heading out to make sure the information is up to date. Families can also call \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/national-hunger-hotline\">the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-348-6479\u003c/a> to find a location closest to them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also download the state’s mobile app, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/mo/cameals.asp\">CA Meals for Kids\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Get familiar with Bay Area food banks \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED has a thorough guide on using food banks or food pantries near you in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">English\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062427/como-encontrar-un-banco-de-alimentos-o-despensa-cerca-de-usted-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Spanish\u003c/a>. The big takeaways:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Major food banks, like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/workplace-giving/?ea.tracking.id=DigAd2526-PMG&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pmax&utm_campaign=evergreen&utm_content=workplacegiving&ea.tracking.id=DigAd2526-PMG&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pmax&utm_campaign=evergreen&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22903428179&gbraid=0AAAAACKCveNd07Igg9N0gD73ISiw1-uWD&gclid=CjwKCAjwpOfHBhAxEiwAm1SwErwV4xaFN_FEK7A9GBHjFfCEezDoE97Ft7G8ZkERCFXMNDrJVQO7YhoCKBsQAvD_BwE\">SF-Marin Food Bank\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members/\">California Association of Food Banks\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodbankccs.org/find-food/foodbycity/?_gl=1*3ajdlo*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjA5ODkyMDQ5NS4xNzYxMjQ2NjU0*_ga_8BLR9BK6YN*czE3NjEyNDY2NTMkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjEyNDY2NTMkajYwJGwwJGgw\">Alameda County Community Food Bank\u003c/a>, will likely have \u003ca href=\"https://foodlocator.sfmfoodbank.org/?_gl=1*1lbew87*_gcl_au*MTkzNzUwMDUyLjE3NjEyNDUwMzE.&_ga=2.54192875.2143041145.1761245031-1508876033.1761245031\">a tool online that can help you locate food resources\u003c/a> near you. These maps or search engines can list locations ranging from large operations to small community fridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also call \u003ca href=\"https://211ca.org/\">the 211 state hotline \u003c/a>for more information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064446\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064446\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shopping carts are parked around the Alameda Food Bank on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Once you find a spot, be sure to check out the food bank or pantry online before heading out. Note what hours they are open, and for how long. Some locations are open to anyone and to walk-ins, but some may require people to register for a spot beforehand or live in a specific zip code.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many food banks serve people regardless of immigration status. For example, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/\">SF-Marin Food Bank states on its website\u003c/a> that it “is committed to serving residents regardless of their immigration status or identity” and, as a non-government agency, does “not collect the immigration status of participants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But food advocates suggest double-checking by calling the food bank and seeing if it has reporting requirements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "With summer break on the way and CalFresh’s new, expanded federal guidelines in place, advocates say there are resources available to support students during what some call “the hungriest time of the year.”",
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"title": "As CalFresh Guidelines Expand, Where Can Students Who Rely on School Meals Go? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>This June, California started enforcing\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083922/calfresh-snap-new-work-requirements-rules-2026-hr1-eligibility-who-is-exempt-food-stamps\"> new and expanded federal guidelines\u003c/a> that will now impact the CalFresh eligibility of households with a child 14 and older, right as the school year ends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The timing has prompted food advocates to remind parents and caregivers that there \u003cem>are \u003c/em>meal options for students throughout summer break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the pandemic, California has been under a statewide waiver that exempted residents from completing a certain number of work hours to be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — known as SNAP nationwide and CalFresh in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now — because of H.R. 1, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083922/calfresh-snap-new-work-requirements-rules-2026-hr1-eligibility-who-is-exempt-food-stamps\">President Donald Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”\u003c/a> — the state must bring back the requirement that some CalFresh recipients must work \u003cem>and \u003c/em>show proof that they are working 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month. For those who don’t fulfill the requirements, a stark reduction in food benefits will ensue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not only does it add in the onerous work requirement — a lot of people who are already receiving CalFresh are working — but now they have this bureaucratic paperwork to provide,” said Kathy Saile, the state director of California’s branch of the national nonprofit No Kid Hungry. “There’s some real concern that people could lose benefits just because they couldn’t figure out the paperwork.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#WherecanteenagersandyoungpeoplefindmealsintheBayAreathissummer\">Where can teenagers and young people find meals in the Bay Area this summer?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>H.R.1’s impact, which also takes away food benefits for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">some humanitarian immigrants\u003c/a>, is apparent, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-tracker-people-are-losing-food-assistance-as-the-republican-megabill\">federal data analyzed\u003c/a> by the nonpartisan research group Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The center estimated that nationwide, SNAP participation fell by almost 9% — more than 3.5 million people — between H.R.1’s start in July 2025 and February 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with being stricter about implementing the work hours, the bill expands the age range. Now, barring exemptions, CalFresh recipients between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not live with a child under the age of 14 are required to fulfill the hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12039841\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12039841\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1364\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-800x546.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-1020x696.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-1536x1048.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/OaklandSchoolChildren-1920x1309.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">First-grade students grab lunch in the cafeteria at Franklin Elementary School on Sept. 7, 2018, in Oakland, California. \u003ccite>(Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Previously, the age range was between 18 and \u003cem>55\u003c/em>. Also notable is that, in the past, parents or caregivers with a child aged 17 or younger were also exempt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new guidelines do not kick in right away for all 5.5 million CalFresh recipients; they apply to new applicants and people who need to recertify their eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rule changes \u003cem>also \u003c/em>do not mean that if a parent loses their benefits, their children will too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078496\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078496\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California’s SNAP benefits shopper pushes a cart through a supermarket in Bellflower, California, on Feb. 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Allison Dinner/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, “what we’re concerned about is that the parent or caregiver may not understand that the whole household is not losing benefits, or may not be able to get the paperwork and the continued recertification for their children,” Saile said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This potential loss for the child may come during the summer, which she said “can be the hungriest time of the year, because they don’t have access to school meals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read more for summertime food options for kids and teens in the Bay Area. Keep in mind that this guide focuses on students 18 and under; there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">a work hour exemption for eligible college students\u003c/a> who are enrolled at least half-time.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"WherecanteenagersandyoungpeoplefindmealsintheBayAreathissummer\">\u003c/a>Where can teenagers and young people go for meals?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Make sure your kid is still on CalFresh\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If someone is a parent who has been impacted by the new work hour guidelines, Saile recommended that they “make sure that they’re staying in close contact with their caseworker.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Going online and making sure they’re not missing any deadlines or recertification appointments, and just paying attention to those details,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saile pointed to recent research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which found that among 12 states with available data, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/blog/sharp-drop-in-number-of-children-receiving-snap-food-assistance-under-new-federal-law\">“the number of children receiving SNAP food assistance has fallen by more than 700,000”\u003c/a> since H.R.1 in July 2025. The states include Texas, Ohio, Michigan and Massachusetts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even though kids weren’t the stated target of H R.1, it’s certainly resulting in loss of food assistance for children,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is “also the chilling effect,” she said. “There are a lot of families who are afraid to participate in programs right now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Receive your SUN Bucks card\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saile said children on CalFresh are automatically enrolled in other programs like \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks\">SUN Bucks\u003c/a>, where a child can get $120 to buy food during the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The card can be used at places like \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq\">grocery stores, farmers’ markets, Walmart and Amazon\u003c/a>. According to an FAQ from the state, people can use the card to buy food like fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat. However, the card — \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items\">like most EBT cards\u003c/a> — cannot be used to buy things like \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq\">“hot foods, pet foods, cleaning or household supplies, personal hygiene items, or medicine.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the child is on CalFresh, the card “will just come automatically in the mail,” Saile said. “The parent or caregiver just creates a PIN for the card and then can use the card throughout the summer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12086650\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1209px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12086650\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SUN-BUCKS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1209\" height=\"385\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SUN-BUCKS.jpg 1209w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SUN-BUCKS-160x51.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1209px) 100vw, 1209px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Sun Bucks card.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If a child is not enrolled in CalFresh but is income-eligible (\u003ca href=\"https://www.summerebt.org/faq\">in households at or under 185% of federal poverty guidelines\u003c/a>; \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/rs/scales2526.asp\">see California’s breakdown on its website\u003c/a>), Saile said the parent or caregiver should contact their school and ask for \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sunbucks.asp#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20Universal%20Benefits,for%202025%20SUN%20Bucks%20eligibility.\">a universal benefit application form\u003c/a>. The form must be \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq\">submitted back to the school\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents can do that anytime during the summer before Aug. 31, Saile said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the card arrives, it may show up in a plain white envelope “for security reasons,” she said. “And people don’t know what it is. They think it might be a scam.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To recognize it, look for the card’s logo: blocky capitalized letters in orange, yellow and teal that say SUN Bucks. There is a little image of a sun with a knife and fork in the corner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more information, people can call the SUN Bucks hotline at (877) 328-9677, which also has assistance in different languages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Find nearby Summer Meals programs (also known as SUN Meals)\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/california/ca-summer-food-resources/\">SUN Meals\u003c/a> are \u003cem>free \u003c/em>meals available to kids 18 and under at places like schools, libraries and parks throughout the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Depending on the location, kids are \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/program-toolkit/#5\">required\u003c/a> to either eat on-site or take a meal home with them. Some locations will not allow kids to take the meals home with them or have a parent pick up their meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/program-toolkit/#5\">the No Kid Hungry campaign\u003c/a>, no application is required, and no proof of income, residency or citizenship will be requested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https://arcg.is/1Han113\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The United States Department of Agriculture has \u003ca href=\"https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/bded45358b994a8fa009e1f88133eb03?org=USDA-FNS\">a comprehensive and regularly updated map of locations\u003c/a> that young people can visit for SUN Meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the USDA website, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/faqs\">“at most sites, children receive either one or two reimbursable meals each day.”\u003c/a> Meals tend to follow USDA nutrition guidelines, including milk, vegetables, fruit and grain. An example of a meal could be a \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/program-toolkit/#5\">turkey sandwich on wheat bread with an apple and salad\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The No Kid Hungry California campaign suggests \u003ca href=\"https://state.nokidhungry.org/california/ca-summer-food-resources/\">on its website\u003c/a> that families double-check the hours of the meal site before heading out to make sure the information is up to date. Families can also call \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/national-hunger-hotline\">the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-348-6479\u003c/a> to find a location closest to them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also download the state’s mobile app, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/mo/cameals.asp\">CA Meals for Kids\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Get familiar with Bay Area food banks \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED has a thorough guide on using food banks or food pantries near you in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">English\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062427/como-encontrar-un-banco-de-alimentos-o-despensa-cerca-de-usted-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Spanish\u003c/a>. The big takeaways:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Major food banks, like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/workplace-giving/?ea.tracking.id=DigAd2526-PMG&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pmax&utm_campaign=evergreen&utm_content=workplacegiving&ea.tracking.id=DigAd2526-PMG&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pmax&utm_campaign=evergreen&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22903428179&gbraid=0AAAAACKCveNd07Igg9N0gD73ISiw1-uWD&gclid=CjwKCAjwpOfHBhAxEiwAm1SwErwV4xaFN_FEK7A9GBHjFfCEezDoE97Ft7G8ZkERCFXMNDrJVQO7YhoCKBsQAvD_BwE\">SF-Marin Food Bank\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members/\">California Association of Food Banks\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodbankccs.org/find-food/foodbycity/?_gl=1*3ajdlo*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjA5ODkyMDQ5NS4xNzYxMjQ2NjU0*_ga_8BLR9BK6YN*czE3NjEyNDY2NTMkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjEyNDY2NTMkajYwJGwwJGgw\">Alameda County Community Food Bank\u003c/a>, will likely have \u003ca href=\"https://foodlocator.sfmfoodbank.org/?_gl=1*1lbew87*_gcl_au*MTkzNzUwMDUyLjE3NjEyNDUwMzE.&_ga=2.54192875.2143041145.1761245031-1508876033.1761245031\">a tool online that can help you locate food resources\u003c/a> near you. These maps or search engines can list locations ranging from large operations to small community fridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also call \u003ca href=\"https://211ca.org/\">the 211 state hotline \u003c/a>for more information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064446\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064446\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shopping carts are parked around the Alameda Food Bank on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Once you find a spot, be sure to check out the food bank or pantry online before heading out. Note what hours they are open, and for how long. Some locations are open to anyone and to walk-ins, but some may require people to register for a spot beforehand or live in a specific zip code.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many food banks serve people regardless of immigration status. For example, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/\">SF-Marin Food Bank states on its website\u003c/a> that it “is committed to serving residents regardless of their immigration status or identity” and, as a non-government agency, does “not collect the immigration status of participants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But food advocates suggest double-checking by calling the food bank and seeing if it has reporting requirements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "calfresh-snap-new-work-requirements-rules-2026-hr1-eligibility-who-is-exempt-food-stamps",
"title": "On CalFresh? What to Know About New June 1 Work Requirements",
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"headTitle": "On CalFresh? What to Know About New June 1 Work Requirements | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, California will begin enforcing new and expanded federal guidelines that require some CalFresh recipients to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">work 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month\u003c/a> — with a stark reduction in food benefits for those who don’t fulfill the requirements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Approximately \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5126\">5.5 million people\u003c/a> use CalFresh in California. And since 2020, California, like several other states, has exempted its residents from the federal government’s longstanding (and \u003ca href=\"https://frac.org/blog/history-shows-congress-should-end-snap-time-limits\">contentious) “time limit” policy\u003c/a>, which mandates that any Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who don’t meet federal work requirements can only receive three months of food benefits in three years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But now, due to H.R. 1 — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101910533/what-the-big-beautiful-bill-means-for-california\">the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill\u003c/a>” authored by President Donald Trump’s administration — California’s ability to waive work requirements for the entire state has been limited to only seven counties, none of them in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work requirements also now apply nationally to a wider range of people, including people up to 64 years old and parents with children 14 and older.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using data from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083881/heres-what-newsoms-revised-budget-means-for-education-in-california\">Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised state budget\u003c/a> released in May, the California Department of Social Services estimates that 2.6 million Californians will be subject to these work requirements starting June 1 — and that as many as 562,000 CalFresh users could ultimately lose access to their food benefits after the new time limit rules are put in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#ImonCalFreshWhatdoIneedtoknowaboutthenewworkrequirements\"> I’m on CalFresh. What do I need to know about the new work requirements?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12073668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12073668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Close-up shot of hands holding food. \u003ccite>(Tashdique Mehtaj Ahmed/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The changes that go into effect on June 1 make several unprecedented changes to this policy, which was already incredibly cruel, and decades of research have shown that it’s ineffectual,” said Andrew Cheyne, managing director at the County Welfare Directors Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has already started rolling out directives from the Trump administration that have impacted eligibility for CalFresh. For example, in April, California began to enforce a requirement that barred \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">some humanitarian immigrants from signing up for food benefits\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates like Cheyne have expressed alarm about the barriers to food access that are being increased by these directives — additional “burdens for recipients who are experiencing poverty-related hunger,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing in other states’ data just devastating drops in the SNAP caseload,” he said. “Not because people are ineligible. Not because they are getting good jobs with good wages. But because of the inability to navigate the red tape that Congress enacted in H.R. 1.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cheyne warned that without significant investment in county workers to support residents through these changes, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Fiscal-and-Financial-Information/LOcal-Assistance-Estimates/2026-27/Revisions/2026-may-revision-estimate-methodologies.pdf\">hundreds of thousands of recipients could lose access to CalFresh\u003c/a> after the H.R. 1 updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The coming impact of CalFresh changes in June\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California’s SNAP changes in June will not apply to everyone. And some people, like those who are pregnant, may be exempt from the work hours guidelines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trent Rhorer, executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency, said 112,000 people in the city receive CalFresh benefits. He estimated these new work requirements may apply to 18% of them: about 19,300 people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078496\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078496\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California SNAP benefits shopper pushes a cart through a supermarket in Bellflower, California, on Feb. 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Allison Dinner/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rhorer said his office is aiming to reach out to SNAP users who might be impacted through community organizations, to provide them more information about the changes in eligibility and “make this requirement as easy as possible to fulfill for CalFresh recipients.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Safety net supports, such as food or healthcare, should be provided to low-income people unconditionally,” he said. “There shouldn’t be additional bureaucratic hoops to jump through. There shouldn’t be work requirements ascribed to services that we provide that meet basic human needs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what \u003cem>are \u003c/em>these new CalFresh work requirements — and who will be most affected starting in June?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what we know. KQED also has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">an FAQ on the restrictions announced in April\u003c/a>, which barred some humanitarian immigrants from receiving CalFresh benefits, and a thorough \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">guide on using food banks or food pantries\u003c/a> near you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HowcanIfulfillthenewworkrequirements\">How can I fulfill the new work requirements?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Whowillbeexemptfromworkrequirements\">Who will be exempt from work requirements?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ImonCalFreshWhatdoIneedtoknowaboutthenewworkrequirements\">\u003c/a>What are the new CalFresh work requirements, and who will be affected?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The major change: Starting June 1, CalFresh recipients between the ages of 18 and 64 who do \u003cem>not\u003c/em> live with a child under the age of 14 are required to fulfill a certain number of work hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(Nationally, the age threshold for federal SNAP work requirements was previously 55. Parents or caregivers with a child age 17 or younger were also exempt.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064446\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064446\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shopping carts are parked around the Alameda Food Bank on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>CalFresh recipients who are subject to work requirements must complete 20 hours of work-related activities a week, or an average of 80 hours a month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re not exempt (see below) and you’re not working or participating in the eligible work activities outlined below, you can only receive CalFresh benefits for three months out of 36 months, i.e., three years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An important detail on timing: The eligibility guidelines will first apply to \u003cem>new\u003c/em> CalFresh applicants starting June 1. Current SNAP recipients in California will only be subject to these rules once they recertify their benefits, said Rhorer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if you’re \u003cem>applying \u003c/em>for CalFresh before June 1? “Applications that are submitted now are applied under the current rules,” Cheyne said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means that if you’re one of the people eligible for the CalFresh work requirements starting June 1, applying for SNAP before that date would mean you’d receive a year of food benefits \u003cem>without \u003c/em>being subject to the work rules, before you eventually recertify. (For most people, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/food/calfresh/keep-calfresh\">recertifying is an annual process\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowcanIfulfillthenewworkrequirements\">\u003c/a>How do I fulfill the new CalFresh work requirements?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">the San Francisco HSA’s website\u003c/a>, work-related activities that satisfy these requirements include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Working at a job\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Volunteering or doing community service\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Participating in a job training or employment program (in San Francisco, this could be through SFHSA)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Enrolled in school less than half-time or in a training program (which in San Francisco could include City College classes like GED or English as a second language, according to Rhorer).\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>On its website, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">SFHSA said\u003c/a> that the “work activities also need to be documented and can be combined from different activities for a total of 80 hours per month.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are some positions — like a job at a nonprofit — where recipients can work \u003cem>fewer\u003c/em> than 80 hours per month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064448\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064448\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A person stands across advertisements for CalFresh as she holds her groceries from the Alameda Food Bank at the 12th Street BART Station in Oakland on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, a CalFresh recipient would need to check with \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">their Benefits Program\u003c/a> to see if they still qualify with these reduced work hours. A list of county offices can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">an interactive map on CalFresh’s website\u003c/a>, and you can also call CalFresh at 1-877-847-3663.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re on CalFresh, your county may have opportunities or referrals for work or job training. For example, San Francisco is “expanding available community work slots for our CalFresh clients,” according to Rhorer, and has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/jobsnow\">a JobsNOW! Program to connect recipients to workplaces\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco is partnering with community-based organizations to provide employment training for CalFresh users — from resume preparation to home healthcare for seniors — and pinpointing job opportunities in sectors that are hiring, like tech, construction, hospitality and home care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is also developing “a community works program, which is really a way for nonprofit organizations to get volunteers who are on CalFresh to go ahead and work in their nonprofit agencies,” Rhorer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Whowillbeexemptfromworkrequirements\">\u003c/a>Which CalFresh recipients are exempt from work requirements?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>CalFresh recipients should \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">check with the Benefits Program\u003c/a> to make sure the exceptions apply to them, but broadly, exemptions from the federal government include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Being younger than 18\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Being older than 64\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Pregnancy\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Having a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">“physical or mental health condition that prevents you from working”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Receiving other benefits, like unemployment insurance or Supplemental Security Income\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>In a substance use disorder program\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Caregiving for a person with a disability\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Member of a federally recognized tribe\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Participating in a program like CalWORKS\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Going to school at least part-time (and adhering to student eligibility requirements).\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Veterans, some people experiencing homelessness and\u003ca href=\"https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/california-lawmakers-looking-to-avoid-foster-youth-going-hungry/274537\"> former foster youth\u003c/a> were previously also \u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/what-we-do/policy/calfresh-changes-hr1/#work\">exempt \u003c/a>from federal work requirements to access SNAP, but may be newly subject to these rules starting June 1.[aside postID=news_12078168 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What about those California counties that are still exempt from CalFresh work requirements?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Both states and Congress have worked to waive benefit limits related to work requirements in times of economic distress, including the Great Recession of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And before the Trump administration’s H.R.1 bill, \u003ca href=\"https://frac.org/blog/qa-how-does-the-new-snap-time-limits-policy-affect-you-what-states-and-families-need-to-know\">some states, including California, were able to get waivers\u003c/a> exempting some or all SNAP recipients from work requirements due to an insufficient number of job opportunities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These waivers are now restricted to California counties with \u003ca href=\"https://frac.org/blog/qa-how-does-the-new-snap-time-limits-policy-affect-you-what-states-and-families-need-to-know\">an unemployment rate of 10% and greater\u003c/a> — which only applies to “very few areas,” Cheyne said. None of them is in the nine-county Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until Oct. 31 this year, SNAP recipients in these California counties will remain exempt from work requirements:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Alpine\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Colusa\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Imperial\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Merced\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Monterey\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Plumas\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Tulare.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>Where can CalFresh recipients go for more information or support?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Cheyne reminded current CalFresh users that these new work requirements won’t apply to them until they recertify their SNAP benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once their case is up for renewal, people should look for information from their county on how to continue their food benefits. A list of county offices can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">an interactive map on CalFresh’s website\u003c/a>. You can also call CalFresh at 1-877-847-3663.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Cheyne warned CalFresh users that county workers likely see a higher volume of cases and paperwork, which could impact their ability to serve SNAP recipients like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078659\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078659\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers sort fresh produce into boxes at the San Francisco‑Marin Food Bank warehouse in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He recommended that CalFresh users call their usual SNAP office when the time for recertification is coming up. Because of California’s yearslong waiver on work requirements, “this is going to be new for everyone, all of the recipients and all of the workers,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cheyne pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/01/metro/snap-benefits-lost-calls-disconnected/\">Massachusetts\u003c/a>, which has already implemented the new eligibility guidelines and has seen “a dramatic drop-off in eligible households … families who are trying to get through, who need assistance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But the workers are simply overwhelmed by the volume of workload and can’t keep up with the cases.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Starting in June, California will start enforcing new federal guidelines that require some SNAP recipients to work 20 hours a week — or see their food benefits cut. Here’s what you need to know.",
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"title": "On CalFresh? What to Know About New June 1 Work Requirements | KQED",
"description": "Starting in June, California will start enforcing new federal guidelines that require some SNAP recipients to work 20 hours a week — or see their food benefits cut. Here’s what you need to know.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, California will begin enforcing new and expanded federal guidelines that require some CalFresh recipients to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">work 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month\u003c/a> — with a stark reduction in food benefits for those who don’t fulfill the requirements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Approximately \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5126\">5.5 million people\u003c/a> use CalFresh in California. And since 2020, California, like several other states, has exempted its residents from the federal government’s longstanding (and \u003ca href=\"https://frac.org/blog/history-shows-congress-should-end-snap-time-limits\">contentious) “time limit” policy\u003c/a>, which mandates that any Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who don’t meet federal work requirements can only receive three months of food benefits in three years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But now, due to H.R. 1 — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101910533/what-the-big-beautiful-bill-means-for-california\">the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill\u003c/a>” authored by President Donald Trump’s administration — California’s ability to waive work requirements for the entire state has been limited to only seven counties, none of them in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work requirements also now apply nationally to a wider range of people, including people up to 64 years old and parents with children 14 and older.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using data from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083881/heres-what-newsoms-revised-budget-means-for-education-in-california\">Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised state budget\u003c/a> released in May, the California Department of Social Services estimates that 2.6 million Californians will be subject to these work requirements starting June 1 — and that as many as 562,000 CalFresh users could ultimately lose access to their food benefits after the new time limit rules are put in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#ImonCalFreshWhatdoIneedtoknowaboutthenewworkrequirements\"> I’m on CalFresh. What do I need to know about the new work requirements?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12073668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12073668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/RamadanGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Close-up shot of hands holding food. \u003ccite>(Tashdique Mehtaj Ahmed/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The changes that go into effect on June 1 make several unprecedented changes to this policy, which was already incredibly cruel, and decades of research have shown that it’s ineffectual,” said Andrew Cheyne, managing director at the County Welfare Directors Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has already started rolling out directives from the Trump administration that have impacted eligibility for CalFresh. For example, in April, California began to enforce a requirement that barred \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">some humanitarian immigrants from signing up for food benefits\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates like Cheyne have expressed alarm about the barriers to food access that are being increased by these directives — additional “burdens for recipients who are experiencing poverty-related hunger,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing in other states’ data just devastating drops in the SNAP caseload,” he said. “Not because people are ineligible. Not because they are getting good jobs with good wages. But because of the inability to navigate the red tape that Congress enacted in H.R. 1.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cheyne warned that without significant investment in county workers to support residents through these changes, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Fiscal-and-Financial-Information/LOcal-Assistance-Estimates/2026-27/Revisions/2026-may-revision-estimate-methodologies.pdf\">hundreds of thousands of recipients could lose access to CalFresh\u003c/a> after the H.R. 1 updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The coming impact of CalFresh changes in June\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California’s SNAP changes in June will not apply to everyone. And some people, like those who are pregnant, may be exempt from the work hours guidelines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trent Rhorer, executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency, said 112,000 people in the city receive CalFresh benefits. He estimated these new work requirements may apply to 18% of them: about 19,300 people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078496\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078496\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GroceriesAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California SNAP benefits shopper pushes a cart through a supermarket in Bellflower, California, on Feb. 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Allison Dinner/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rhorer said his office is aiming to reach out to SNAP users who might be impacted through community organizations, to provide them more information about the changes in eligibility and “make this requirement as easy as possible to fulfill for CalFresh recipients.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Safety net supports, such as food or healthcare, should be provided to low-income people unconditionally,” he said. “There shouldn’t be additional bureaucratic hoops to jump through. There shouldn’t be work requirements ascribed to services that we provide that meet basic human needs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what \u003cem>are \u003c/em>these new CalFresh work requirements — and who will be most affected starting in June?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what we know. KQED also has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">an FAQ on the restrictions announced in April\u003c/a>, which barred some humanitarian immigrants from receiving CalFresh benefits, and a thorough \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">guide on using food banks or food pantries\u003c/a> near you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HowcanIfulfillthenewworkrequirements\">How can I fulfill the new work requirements?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Whowillbeexemptfromworkrequirements\">Who will be exempt from work requirements?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ImonCalFreshWhatdoIneedtoknowaboutthenewworkrequirements\">\u003c/a>What are the new CalFresh work requirements, and who will be affected?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The major change: Starting June 1, CalFresh recipients between the ages of 18 and 64 who do \u003cem>not\u003c/em> live with a child under the age of 14 are required to fulfill a certain number of work hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(Nationally, the age threshold for federal SNAP work requirements was previously 55. Parents or caregivers with a child age 17 or younger were also exempt.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064446\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064446\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shopping carts are parked around the Alameda Food Bank on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>CalFresh recipients who are subject to work requirements must complete 20 hours of work-related activities a week, or an average of 80 hours a month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re not exempt (see below) and you’re not working or participating in the eligible work activities outlined below, you can only receive CalFresh benefits for three months out of 36 months, i.e., three years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An important detail on timing: The eligibility guidelines will first apply to \u003cem>new\u003c/em> CalFresh applicants starting June 1. Current SNAP recipients in California will only be subject to these rules once they recertify their benefits, said Rhorer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if you’re \u003cem>applying \u003c/em>for CalFresh before June 1? “Applications that are submitted now are applied under the current rules,” Cheyne said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means that if you’re one of the people eligible for the CalFresh work requirements starting June 1, applying for SNAP before that date would mean you’d receive a year of food benefits \u003cem>without \u003c/em>being subject to the work rules, before you eventually recertify. (For most people, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/food/calfresh/keep-calfresh\">recertifying is an annual process\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowcanIfulfillthenewworkrequirements\">\u003c/a>How do I fulfill the new CalFresh work requirements?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">the San Francisco HSA’s website\u003c/a>, work-related activities that satisfy these requirements include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Working at a job\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Volunteering or doing community service\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Participating in a job training or employment program (in San Francisco, this could be through SFHSA)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Enrolled in school less than half-time or in a training program (which in San Francisco could include City College classes like GED or English as a second language, according to Rhorer).\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>On its website, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">SFHSA said\u003c/a> that the “work activities also need to be documented and can be combined from different activities for a total of 80 hours per month.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are some positions — like a job at a nonprofit — where recipients can work \u003cem>fewer\u003c/em> than 80 hours per month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064448\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064448\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A person stands across advertisements for CalFresh as she holds her groceries from the Alameda Food Bank at the 12th Street BART Station in Oakland on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, a CalFresh recipient would need to check with \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">their Benefits Program\u003c/a> to see if they still qualify with these reduced work hours. A list of county offices can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">an interactive map on CalFresh’s website\u003c/a>, and you can also call CalFresh at 1-877-847-3663.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re on CalFresh, your county may have opportunities or referrals for work or job training. For example, San Francisco is “expanding available community work slots for our CalFresh clients,” according to Rhorer, and has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/jobsnow\">a JobsNOW! Program to connect recipients to workplaces\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco is partnering with community-based organizations to provide employment training for CalFresh users — from resume preparation to home healthcare for seniors — and pinpointing job opportunities in sectors that are hiring, like tech, construction, hospitality and home care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is also developing “a community works program, which is really a way for nonprofit organizations to get volunteers who are on CalFresh to go ahead and work in their nonprofit agencies,” Rhorer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Whowillbeexemptfromworkrequirements\">\u003c/a>Which CalFresh recipients are exempt from work requirements?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>CalFresh recipients should \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">check with the Benefits Program\u003c/a> to make sure the exceptions apply to them, but broadly, exemptions from the federal government include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Being younger than 18\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Being older than 64\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Pregnancy\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Having a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/jobs/keep-benefits\">“physical or mental health condition that prevents you from working”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Receiving other benefits, like unemployment insurance or Supplemental Security Income\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>In a substance use disorder program\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Caregiving for a person with a disability\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Member of a federally recognized tribe\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Participating in a program like CalWORKS\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Going to school at least part-time (and adhering to student eligibility requirements).\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Veterans, some people experiencing homelessness and\u003ca href=\"https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/california-lawmakers-looking-to-avoid-foster-youth-going-hungry/274537\"> former foster youth\u003c/a> were previously also \u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/what-we-do/policy/calfresh-changes-hr1/#work\">exempt \u003c/a>from federal work requirements to access SNAP, but may be newly subject to these rules starting June 1.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What about those California counties that are still exempt from CalFresh work requirements?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Both states and Congress have worked to waive benefit limits related to work requirements in times of economic distress, including the Great Recession of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And before the Trump administration’s H.R.1 bill, \u003ca href=\"https://frac.org/blog/qa-how-does-the-new-snap-time-limits-policy-affect-you-what-states-and-families-need-to-know\">some states, including California, were able to get waivers\u003c/a> exempting some or all SNAP recipients from work requirements due to an insufficient number of job opportunities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These waivers are now restricted to California counties with \u003ca href=\"https://frac.org/blog/qa-how-does-the-new-snap-time-limits-policy-affect-you-what-states-and-families-need-to-know\">an unemployment rate of 10% and greater\u003c/a> — which only applies to “very few areas,” Cheyne said. None of them is in the nine-county Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until Oct. 31 this year, SNAP recipients in these California counties will remain exempt from work requirements:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Alpine\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Colusa\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Imperial\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Merced\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Monterey\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Plumas\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Tulare.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>Where can CalFresh recipients go for more information or support?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Cheyne reminded current CalFresh users that these new work requirements won’t apply to them until they recertify their SNAP benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once their case is up for renewal, people should look for information from their county on how to continue their food benefits. A list of county offices can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">an interactive map on CalFresh’s website\u003c/a>. You can also call CalFresh at 1-877-847-3663.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Cheyne warned CalFresh users that county workers likely see a higher volume of cases and paperwork, which could impact their ability to serve SNAP recipients like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078659\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078659\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251031-SFMarinFoodBank-21-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers sort fresh produce into boxes at the San Francisco‑Marin Food Bank warehouse in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He recommended that CalFresh users call their usual SNAP office when the time for recertification is coming up. Because of California’s yearslong waiver on work requirements, “this is going to be new for everyone, all of the recipients and all of the workers,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cheyne pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/01/metro/snap-benefits-lost-calls-disconnected/\">Massachusetts\u003c/a>, which has already implemented the new eligibility guidelines and has seen “a dramatic drop-off in eligible households … families who are trying to get through, who need assistance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But the workers are simply overwhelmed by the volume of workload and can’t keep up with the cases.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Hundreds of Thousands Could Be Booted From CalFresh and Medi-Cal. This Bill Aims to Help",
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"headTitle": "Hundreds of Thousands Could Be Booted From CalFresh and Medi-Cal. This Bill Aims to Help | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>As new federal work requirements leave hundreds of thousands of Californians at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">risk of losing\u003c/a> Medi-Cal and food stamps, the state Legislature is considering a bill that aims to ensure eligible recipients keep their benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101910533/what-the-big-beautiful-bill-means-for-california\">H.R. 1\u003c/a>, the major Republican spending bill known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed last summer, working-age adults without children will be \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/federal-impacts/Documents/DHCS-HR1-Implementation-Plan.pdf\">required\u003c/a> to put in 20 hours a week of work, school or volunteering in order to maintain their benefits. The new requirement goes into effect Jan. 1, 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a result of those changes, the California Legislative Analyst’s office estimates that up to 2 million people could get dropped from Medi-Cal, and around 840,000 could lose CalFresh food aid. Some of those recipients would be disqualified because they don’t meet the work requirement. Others may simply be unable to manage the new bureaucratic requirement of documenting their hours for the government twice a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, D-West Sacramento, drafted a solution that he hopes will prevent people from losing benefits for failing to report their hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/SB1054/2025\">SB 1054\u003c/a>, would instead require employers to provide that information to the state Employment Development Department — which already collects data on employee wages to administer unemployment benefits. The bill would then authorize the EDD to share that data with the state health and social service agencies that determine eligibility for Medi-Cal and CalFresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Congress has opened up a giant chasm for Californians to fall into and lose their Medi-Cal coverage,” Cabaldon said. “We can use our data systems to thwart that cynical ploy and make sure that Californians don’t get booted off because of a paper processing requirement.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060772\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060772\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">SNAP and EBT Accepted here sign. SNAP and Food Stamps provide nutrition benefits to supplement the budgets of disadvantaged families. \u003ccite>(Jet City Image/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Plus)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The bill passed out of the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee last month with unanimous, bipartisan support. Currently, it’s set for an April 13 hearing at the Appropriations Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monica Saucedo, a senior fellow at the California Budget and Policy Center, said the federal spending bill is putting extra pressure on state policymakers who are trying to ensure a social safety net for Californians, all while the state faces a budget deficit in the coming year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“H.R. 1 has put state leaders in a really tough spot,” she said. “Introducing creative solutions — like ensuring that data can be shared across agencies, and the burden is removed off of the individuals — is a really good way to try to mitigate this harm.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She applauded Cabaldon’s bill but said she’s concerned about a bigger problem: not just the work \u003cem>reporting\u003c/em> requirement, but the work requirement itself. According to Saucedo, it’s the first time in the history of the Medicaid program, known in California as Medi-Cal, that people have been required to work to maintain their health coverage.[aside postID=news_12078168 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg']Roughly 1 in 3 Californians is covered by Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, has said the\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/atrupar/status/1910358772272202135?s=20\"> work requirement helps\u003c/a> “return the dignity of work to young men who need to be out working instead of playing video games all day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Saucedo said most people receiving benefits are already working, and research has shown that such requirements don’t increase employment or earnings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saucedo called the work reporting requirements “a bad policy.” “It really is just another way of … pushing people off of the programs,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What Cabaldon’s bill does not do is change \u003cem>who \u003c/em>is eligible for health and food aid. It would not restore access to Medi-Cal and CalFresh for tens of thousands of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">lawfully present immigrants\u003c/a> in California — including refugees and asylees, DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status holders. Under H.R. 1, they became ineligible for CalFresh on April 1 and \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/federal-impacts/Documents/DHCS-HR1-Implementation-Plan.pdf\">will lose Medi-Cal\u003c/a> on Oct. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benyamin Chao, a policy manager with the California Immigrant Policy Center, said he wants to see state lawmakers find a solution for those immigrants as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s heartbreaking to see these cuts go into effect,” he said. “Given the amount of contributions that immigrants make, tax-wise or just through our social fabric in California, now is really that test for our leaders in Sacramento, whether we will make those investments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11963409\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11963409\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt='A large modern building with the words \"Kaiser Permanente\" across the top.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in Oakland on Oct. 4, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chao’s organization is working with Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, on \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1422\">SB 1422\u003c/a>, a different bill that aims to restore state-funded health coverage to low-income working-age Californians — regardless of immigration status or whether the federal government will pay for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cabaldon said his bill would offer another benefit: improved data sharing between state agencies that could help California improve the college and career training programs it funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have the data we need in order to make much smarter decisions and evaluations about where we’re spending our workforce development training dollars, but … it’s not used for that purpose,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “nerdy side” of the bill, as Cabaldon called it, would enable the state government to share necessary data “to improve the effectiveness of our workforce development and education programs, to make sure that folks get and keep high-quality, good-paying jobs and careers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "With more stringent federal work requirements looming, proposed California legislation aims to prevent the state’s SNAP and Medicaid recipients from losing their coverage because of bureaucratic rules.\r\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As new federal work requirements leave hundreds of thousands of Californians at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">risk of losing\u003c/a> Medi-Cal and food stamps, the state Legislature is considering a bill that aims to ensure eligible recipients keep their benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101910533/what-the-big-beautiful-bill-means-for-california\">H.R. 1\u003c/a>, the major Republican spending bill known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed last summer, working-age adults without children will be \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/federal-impacts/Documents/DHCS-HR1-Implementation-Plan.pdf\">required\u003c/a> to put in 20 hours a week of work, school or volunteering in order to maintain their benefits. The new requirement goes into effect Jan. 1, 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a result of those changes, the California Legislative Analyst’s office estimates that up to 2 million people could get dropped from Medi-Cal, and around 840,000 could lose CalFresh food aid. Some of those recipients would be disqualified because they don’t meet the work requirement. Others may simply be unable to manage the new bureaucratic requirement of documenting their hours for the government twice a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, D-West Sacramento, drafted a solution that he hopes will prevent people from losing benefits for failing to report their hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/SB1054/2025\">SB 1054\u003c/a>, would instead require employers to provide that information to the state Employment Development Department — which already collects data on employee wages to administer unemployment benefits. The bill would then authorize the EDD to share that data with the state health and social service agencies that determine eligibility for Medi-Cal and CalFresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Congress has opened up a giant chasm for Californians to fall into and lose their Medi-Cal coverage,” Cabaldon said. “We can use our data systems to thwart that cynical ploy and make sure that Californians don’t get booted off because of a paper processing requirement.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060772\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060772\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/SNAPGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">SNAP and EBT Accepted here sign. SNAP and Food Stamps provide nutrition benefits to supplement the budgets of disadvantaged families. \u003ccite>(Jet City Image/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Plus)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The bill passed out of the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee last month with unanimous, bipartisan support. Currently, it’s set for an April 13 hearing at the Appropriations Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monica Saucedo, a senior fellow at the California Budget and Policy Center, said the federal spending bill is putting extra pressure on state policymakers who are trying to ensure a social safety net for Californians, all while the state faces a budget deficit in the coming year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“H.R. 1 has put state leaders in a really tough spot,” she said. “Introducing creative solutions — like ensuring that data can be shared across agencies, and the burden is removed off of the individuals — is a really good way to try to mitigate this harm.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She applauded Cabaldon’s bill but said she’s concerned about a bigger problem: not just the work \u003cem>reporting\u003c/em> requirement, but the work requirement itself. According to Saucedo, it’s the first time in the history of the Medicaid program, known in California as Medi-Cal, that people have been required to work to maintain their health coverage.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Roughly 1 in 3 Californians is covered by Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, has said the\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/atrupar/status/1910358772272202135?s=20\"> work requirement helps\u003c/a> “return the dignity of work to young men who need to be out working instead of playing video games all day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Saucedo said most people receiving benefits are already working, and research has shown that such requirements don’t increase employment or earnings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saucedo called the work reporting requirements “a bad policy.” “It really is just another way of … pushing people off of the programs,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What Cabaldon’s bill does not do is change \u003cem>who \u003c/em>is eligible for health and food aid. It would not restore access to Medi-Cal and CalFresh for tens of thousands of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">lawfully present immigrants\u003c/a> in California — including refugees and asylees, DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status holders. Under H.R. 1, they became ineligible for CalFresh on April 1 and \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/federal-impacts/Documents/DHCS-HR1-Implementation-Plan.pdf\">will lose Medi-Cal\u003c/a> on Oct. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benyamin Chao, a policy manager with the California Immigrant Policy Center, said he wants to see state lawmakers find a solution for those immigrants as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s heartbreaking to see these cuts go into effect,” he said. “Given the amount of contributions that immigrants make, tax-wise or just through our social fabric in California, now is really that test for our leaders in Sacramento, whether we will make those investments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11963409\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11963409\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt='A large modern building with the words \"Kaiser Permanente\" across the top.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231004-KAISER-STRIKE-MD-10-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in Oakland on Oct. 4, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chao’s organization is working with Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, on \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1422\">SB 1422\u003c/a>, a different bill that aims to restore state-funded health coverage to low-income working-age Californians — regardless of immigration status or whether the federal government will pay for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cabaldon said his bill would offer another benefit: improved data sharing between state agencies that could help California improve the college and career training programs it funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have the data we need in order to make much smarter decisions and evaluations about where we’re spending our workforce development training dollars, but … it’s not used for that purpose,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “nerdy side” of the bill, as Cabaldon called it, would enable the state government to share necessary data “to improve the effectiveness of our workforce development and education programs, to make sure that folks get and keep high-quality, good-paying jobs and careers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "East Bay Communities Prepare for Increased Food Demand Amid SNAP Cuts",
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"content": "\u003cp>In 2007, Nwe Oo, a mother of three, fled from a civil war in Burma to the U.S. She remembers relying heavily on government assistance like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/snap\">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program\u003c/a> to feed her family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As a single mother, I always believed that I wanted to be independent, serve my family first, meet my needs,” Oo said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in reality, she continued, raising three children by herself without any extra support is difficult. “Food stamps fed my family,” Oo said. “Without that support, my family would be hungry and die.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oo’s reflections unfold upon a troubling and rocky timeline for refugees and people claiming asylum across the country — President Trump’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065310/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-to-cost-san-francisco-400m-end-care-for-thousands\"> H.R. 1 federal cuts\u003c/a> took effect Wednesday, causing recipients to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">lose eligibility\u003c/a> for numerous social safety and government assistance programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, Oo works at the Community Health for Asian Americans in Oakland, California, helping immigrants like herself access health benefits that they might have been previously unaware of. But after tens of thousands of Californians became ineligible for programs like SNAP, known as CalFresh in California, her clients and many others are facing enormous setbacks in maintaining those benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064446\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064446\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shopping carts are parked around the Alameda Food Bank on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the Alameda County Community Food Bank, the East Bay is bracing for an increased food demand, with 5,400 CalFresh recipients at risk of losing their benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County Supervisor Elisa Marquez said the county has raised millions of dollars for food assistance, but they still need the state’s support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We cannot brag that we are the fourth largest economy while our immigrants and refugee community members stay hungry,” Marquez said. “Now it’s time for the governor and our state legislators to do their part.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, a bill ensuring tens of thousands of Californians do not lose their CalFresh and Medi-Cal coverage is one step closer to law. On March 25, West Sacramento lawmaker state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon’s \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1054/id/3406264\">SB 1054\u003c/a> unanimously passed the labor committee with bipartisan support, although it would not restore benefits for immigrants who are set to lose eligibility. Instead, it focuses on new federal work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid.[aside postID=news_12078168 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://nourishca.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Food4All-infographic.pdf\">a 2024 report\u003c/a> from Nourish California, an organization advocating for accessible food and resources, 64% of undocumented Californians are living in or near poverty, compared to the 35% overall statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Silvia Garcia, a resident of the East Bay Cherryland community, said that although she won’t be affected by the new eligibility requirements, she fears that this is just the beginning of immigrants being stripped of their resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia said that after her husband was deported two years ago, taking care of her three children alone has been an expensive and mentally taxing experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Many times I find myself having to set aside other basic needs my children have in order to prioritize buying food,” Garcia said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Other times I wake up in the middle of the night, and that terrifying panic hits me about how I’ll manage this month’s expenses,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And just like me,” Garcia said, “There are many families facing the same situation and uncertainty.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By June 1, California is poised to implement \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">a new rule\u003c/a> making requirements for CalFresh more stringent — recipients who are 18-64 years old without young children at home must fulfill more work or community engagement hours in order to maintain their eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oo said, regardless of immigration status, people who live in the U.S. deserve access to government assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They work hard,” Oo said. “We’re Americans here serving not only our family, serving the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>April 7: This story was updated to clarify the scope of state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon’s SB 1054, which focuses on federal work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid but would not restore benefits for immigrants who are set to lose eligibility.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "As the H.R. 1 cuts started to take effect on Wednesday, Alameda County leaders called on state legislators to assist in filling the hole for food aid.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In 2007, Nwe Oo, a mother of three, fled from a civil war in Burma to the U.S. She remembers relying heavily on government assistance like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/snap\">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program\u003c/a> to feed her family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As a single mother, I always believed that I wanted to be independent, serve my family first, meet my needs,” Oo said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in reality, she continued, raising three children by herself without any extra support is difficult. “Food stamps fed my family,” Oo said. “Without that support, my family would be hungry and die.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oo’s reflections unfold upon a troubling and rocky timeline for refugees and people claiming asylum across the country — President Trump’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065310/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-to-cost-san-francisco-400m-end-care-for-thousands\"> H.R. 1 federal cuts\u003c/a> took effect Wednesday, causing recipients to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078168/april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank\">lose eligibility\u003c/a> for numerous social safety and government assistance programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, Oo works at the Community Health for Asian Americans in Oakland, California, helping immigrants like herself access health benefits that they might have been previously unaware of. But after tens of thousands of Californians became ineligible for programs like SNAP, known as CalFresh in California, her clients and many others are facing enormous setbacks in maintaining those benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064446\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064446\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE00936_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shopping carts are parked around the Alameda Food Bank on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the Alameda County Community Food Bank, the East Bay is bracing for an increased food demand, with 5,400 CalFresh recipients at risk of losing their benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County Supervisor Elisa Marquez said the county has raised millions of dollars for food assistance, but they still need the state’s support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We cannot brag that we are the fourth largest economy while our immigrants and refugee community members stay hungry,” Marquez said. “Now it’s time for the governor and our state legislators to do their part.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, a bill ensuring tens of thousands of Californians do not lose their CalFresh and Medi-Cal coverage is one step closer to law. On March 25, West Sacramento lawmaker state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon’s \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1054/id/3406264\">SB 1054\u003c/a> unanimously passed the labor committee with bipartisan support, although it would not restore benefits for immigrants who are set to lose eligibility. Instead, it focuses on new federal work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://nourishca.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Food4All-infographic.pdf\">a 2024 report\u003c/a> from Nourish California, an organization advocating for accessible food and resources, 64% of undocumented Californians are living in or near poverty, compared to the 35% overall statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Silvia Garcia, a resident of the East Bay Cherryland community, said that although she won’t be affected by the new eligibility requirements, she fears that this is just the beginning of immigrants being stripped of their resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia said that after her husband was deported two years ago, taking care of her three children alone has been an expensive and mentally taxing experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Many times I find myself having to set aside other basic needs my children have in order to prioritize buying food,” Garcia said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Other times I wake up in the middle of the night, and that terrifying panic hits me about how I’ll manage this month’s expenses,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And just like me,” Garcia said, “There are many families facing the same situation and uncertainty.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By June 1, California is poised to implement \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">a new rule\u003c/a> making requirements for CalFresh more stringent — recipients who are 18-64 years old without young children at home must fulfill more work or community engagement hours in order to maintain their eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oo said, regardless of immigration status, people who live in the U.S. deserve access to government assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They work hard,” Oo said. “We’re Americans here serving not only our family, serving the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>April 7: This story was updated to clarify the scope of state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon’s SB 1054, which focuses on federal work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid but would not restore benefits for immigrants who are set to lose eligibility.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "april-1-snap-food-stamps-cal-fresh-eligibility-change-2026-immigrants-refugees-asylum-seekers-recertify-where-to-find-food-bank",
"title": "Thousands of Immigrants Will Lose Access to CalFresh This Week. Here’s What to Know",
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"headTitle": "Thousands of Immigrants Will Lose Access to CalFresh This Week. Here’s What to Know | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Starting Wednesday, tens of thousands of humanitarian immigrants across California will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065310/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-to-cost-san-francisco-400m-end-care-for-thousands\">no longer be eligible for food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program\u003c/a>, benefits that are still sometimes referred to as food stamps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes in who’s eligible for benefits through SNAP — called CalFresh in California — are among the huge cuts to social safety programs in the United States enacted by President Donald Trump’s 2025 H.R. 1 spending bill”, the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101910533/what-the-big-beautiful-bill-means-for-california\">One Big Beautiful Bill Act.\u003c/a>”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some states have already implemented these restrictions, but California will be following suit starting April 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#eligibility\">Who will lose eligibility for CalFresh benefits starting April 1?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#straightaway\">Do impacted people lose benefits straightaway?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>While not all immigrants will be pushed out of CalFresh, Trump’s bill specifically targets individuals like refugees and people claiming asylum in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are people who have come here after escaping violence and persecution and torture,” said Jackie Mendelson, policy advocate with nonprofit organization \u003ca href=\"https://nourishca.org/\">Nourish California\u003c/a>. “These are communities that we have historically said, ‘You are welcome here. We have the support for you. We’re going to help you get established in our country.’ And now, the federal government is abandoning them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around 72,000 lawfully present immigrants in the state will be impacted, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://nourishca.org/our-work/food4all/\">Food4All Coalition\u003c/a>, a statewide advocacy campaign, and the Alameda County Community Food Bank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While exact numbers are not available for the Bay Area, the organizations in a news release estimate that over 5,000 of these individuals are in Alameda County alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064448\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064448\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trozalla Smith stands across advertisements for CalFresh as she holds her groceries from the Alameda Food Bank at the 12th Street BART Station in Oakland on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Impacted groups already enrolled in CalFresh will \u003cem>not\u003c/em> lose their benefits right away. However, they will not be able to continue using CalFresh when they recertify their benefits after April 1. For most households, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/entres/forms/english/cf37.pdf\">recertification \u003c/a>usually takes place every 12 months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading to learn more about the bill’s impact on CalFresh, who will be most affected, and where you can find access to food in the Bay Area regardless of your situation or immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"eligibility\">\u003c/a>Who will no longer be eligible for CalFresh food benefits starting April 1?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">the California Department of Social Services\u003c/a>, the following groups will no longer be eligible to apply for new CalFresh benefits starting April 1:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Asylees\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Refugees\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Parolees (unless they are \u003ca href=\"https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/orr_fact_sheet_cuban_haitian_entrant.pdf\">Cuban and Haitian Entrants\u003c/a>)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Individuals with deportation or removal withheld\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Conditional entrants\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Survivors of trafficking\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>“Battered noncitizens” \u003ca href=\"https://stgenssa.sccgov.org/debs/program_handbooks/common_place/assets/2CSI/05NCitCatCd/05_05BattrdNoncitiz.htm\">(victims of abuse)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Iraqis or Afghans with Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) who are not Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Certain Afghan Nationals granted parole between July 31, 2021, and September 30, 2023\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Certain Ukrainian Nationals granted parole between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>According to CDSS, “if there are multiple people in your household with different immigration statuses, \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">you will receive a notice showing who is approved and who is denied.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/immigrants/public-benefits-immigrants\">Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for CalFresh.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Who is still eligible for CalFresh?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You are still \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">eligible for CalFresh\u003c/a> if you are:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A citizen of the United States\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship/Certificates-Non-Citizen-Nationality.html\">U.S. national\u003c/a> (for example, without citizenship but born in American Samoa or Swains Island)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/orr_fact_sheet_cuban_haitian_entrant.pdf\">A Cuban and Haitian entrant (CHE) \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A citizen of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) who has met the five-year waiting period or has an \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">exemption from the five-year waiting period\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If your immigration status \u003cem>changes\u003c/em> to one of the above (for example, you’ve become a lawful permanent resident), you may be eligible for CalFresh again and \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">should contact your county worker\u003c/a> to learn more.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What other changes to CalFresh eligibility should I know about now?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The changes to eligibility for certain lawfully present immigrants. This will be on top of the restrictions that kicked in in November 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">“must have heating or cooling costs separate from their housing costs” \u003c/a>to claim the Standard Utility Allowance. This does not apply to households that don’t include anyone over the age of 60 or someone with a disability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There will be more changes to CalFresh eligibility coming on June 1, when some people receiving these benefits will need to complete \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">new work or community engagement hours\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Will I lose my CalFresh benefits right away on April 1?\u003ca id=\"straightaway\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: According to \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">CDSS\u003c/a>, your benefits will continue until your \u003cem>next\u003c/em> recertification, “as long as you continue to meet all other non-immigration eligibility criteria” to receive CalFresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12064126 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01472_TV-KQED.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most households \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">recertify every 12 months\u003c/a>, but some units may have longer periods than others. You can find out your recertification date on \u003ca href=\"http://benefitscal.com\">BenefitsCal.com\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At that appointment, “a county worker will determine if you are still eligible for benefits at that time,” CDSS said. According to the agency, you will then receive a notification if you no longer meet CalFresh requirements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nourish California’s Mendelson said that her organization anticipates they’ll “see the majority drop-off for all of these folks” in the next six months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It also means that beginning April 1st, if someone has one of these immigration statuses, and they have not yet applied for CalFresh, and they apply on April 1st, they will be denied benefits,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>I still have questions about my CalFresh eligibility. Who do I go to?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You can call 1-877-847-3663 or \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">visit a local office\u003c/a> to receive help with any CalFresh questions you might still have.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mendelson said people should also consider consulting with an immigration legal expert or attorney to learn more about their public health benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066124\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066124\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">While not all immigrants will be pushed out of CalFresh, Trump’s bill specifically targets individuals like refugees and people claiming asylum in the U.S. \u003ccite>(Oscar Wong/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The new SNAP eligibility restrictions are “on top of the fears some immigrants already had under the Trump administration and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030564/who-can-see-my-tax-information-when-i-file\">data sharing between agencies\u003c/a>,” Mendelson said — which she sees as another part of a “greater fear and chilling effect that the Trump administration has been creating, attached to receiving public benefits.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12013522/free-legal-aid-in-the-bay-area-how-it-works-where-to-find-it\">a thorough guide on finding free or low-cost legal aid in the Bay Area\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If I’m losing CalFresh, are there government programs I can still use?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The California Food Assistance Program\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some — but not all — humanitarian immigrants may be qualified for\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh/california-food-assistance-program\"> the California Food Assistance Program\u003c/a>. For example, some battered noncitizens and certain parolees who will lose CalFresh eligibility starting April 1 \u003cem>may \u003c/em>be \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">eligible for CFAP\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CFAP uses \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/cdss-programs/calfresh/cfap/how-to-apply\">the same application as CalFresh\u003c/a>.[aside postID=news_12077353 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2267571375-2000x1333.jpg'] “At recertification, your county worker will determine your eligibility for CalFresh,” \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">CDSS’ guidance\u003c/a> reads. “If you are no longer eligible for CalFresh due to H.R. 1 but you are eligible for CFAP, your county worker will adjust your benefits at that time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">the CDSS\u003c/a>, “To be eligible for CFAP benefits, you must be ineligible for CalFresh benefits solely due to your immigration status under \u003ca href=\"https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/personal-responsibility-work-opportunity-reconciliation-act-1996\">the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996.\u003c/a>”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Examples of CFAP eligible individuals are noncitizens \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">include\u003c/a>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Legal permanent residents who have not met the five-year U.S. residency requirement or the 40 qualifying work quarters criteria\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Conditional entrants\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Battered or abused\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>As of June 1, \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">parolees\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">who have not met the five-year waiting period or an exemption. \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Mendelson said advocates like her are “working to expand our food assistance program to remove immigration status as a barrier.” Starting Oct. 2027, for example, CFAP will be \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.guide/california-food-assistance-program-cfap/\">available for people 55 and older regardless of immigration status\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of expansion, Mendelson said, “would actually protect immigrant communities from any future attacks by any future federal government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Women, Infants, and Children Program is \u003cem>not \u003c/em>impacted by the changes going into effect on April 1. WIC provides support — \u003ca href=\"https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/Home/HowWICHelps\">including food assistance\u003c/a> — for families with young children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can check if you are eligible for WIC benefits by \u003ca href=\"https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/Home/AmIEligible\">taking the state’s assessment online\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Will applying to these programs impact my immigration status?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/public-charge-guide/\">California’s Health and Human Services\u003c/a> agency, the Trump administration has proposed removing a 2022 rule that \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/public-charge-guide/\">“removes barriers to accessing public benefits for most immigrants.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the Trump administration’s proposal is not yet in effect. That means that right now, using CFAP and CalFresh will \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">“not affect your application for a U.S. visa or your family-based application for a green card,”\u003c/a> according to CDSS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062568\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062568\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Workers sort fresh produce into boxes at the San Francisco‑Marin Food Bank warehouse in San Francisco on Oct. 31, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you have more questions about \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/public-charge-guide/\">public charges\u003c/a>, the CDSS guide suggests you\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12013522/free-legal-aid-in-the-bay-area-how-it-works-where-to-find-it\"> reach out to a legal expert\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where else can I find food assistance? \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>KQED has a thorough guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">using food banks or food pantries near you\u003c/a>. Keep in mind that most food banks are not the actual site to get your meals, but rather a distributor to participating food pantries, organizations, nonprofits and churches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Read in Spanish: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062427/como-encontrar-un-banco-de-alimentos-o-despensa-cerca-de-usted-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Cómo encontrar un banco de alimentos o despensa cerca de usted en el Área de la Bahía\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Many food banks serve people regardless of immigration status. For example, the SF-Marin Food Bank states on \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/\">its website\u003c/a> that it “is committed to serving residents regardless of their immigration status or identity” and as a non-government agency, does “not collect the immigration status of participants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For food banks across the states, typically you don’t need to provide information to get food,” Mendelson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she also said that anyone visiting a food bank that provides food through \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program\">the Emergency Food Assistance Program\u003c/a> — a federal project — “might have to” give some identifying information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So the best course of action is for folks to call their local food bank to ask about reporting requirements,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/do-you-need-food-delivered-to-your-home/\">Some food banks, like the Alameda County Community Food Bank, also make home deliveries\u003c/a> if you’re physically unable to get to the food bank location. ACCFB said late last year that it’s seeing a significant increase in home delivery requests right now, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/bay-area-snap-benefits-21122988.php\">Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas has attributed \u003c/a>to fears many immigrants have about leaving their homes amid\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061545/bay-area-spared-from-federal-immigration-enforcement-surge-officials-say\"> threats of an immigration crackdown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a regularly updated map or tool, you can use:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members/\">The California Association of Food Banks’ online tool\u003c/a>, which lists all the major food banks in the state\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://211ca.org/\">The state’s 211 hotline\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/\">The SF-Marin Food Bank search tool\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cityteam.org/get-help/san-francisco\">CityTeam San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.missionaction.org/find-services/#health\">Mission Action’s\u003c/a> food assistance number, 415-633-6192\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/find-a-food-pantry/\">Alameda County Community Food Bank\u003c/a>; you can also call 510-635-3663\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.foodbankccs.org/find-food/foodbycity/?_gl=1*3ajdlo*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjA5ODkyMDQ5NS4xNzYxMjQ2NjU0*_ga_8BLR9BK6YN*czE3NjEyNDY2NTMkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjEyNDY2NTMkajYwJGwwJGgw\">Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano\u003c/a>; you can also call for help at 855-309-3663\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://getfood.refb.org/getfood.html\">Redwood Empire\u003c/a> of Sonoma County; you can also text “FOOD” to 707-353-3882\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.shfb.org/get-food/?filter_mode=distribution/\">Second Harvest of Silicon Valley\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Local trusted community organizations, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.womensbuilding.org/programs/food-pantry\">the Women’s Building in San Francisco\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://sirenimmigrantrights.org/\"> SIREN in the South Bay\u003c/a>, are also a major way for people to connect to food resources, Mendelson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you find a spot, be sure to check out the food bank or pantry online before heading out. Note what hours they are open, and for how long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some locations are open to anyone from any city or county and accept walk-ins, but some may require people to register for a spot beforehand or live in a specific zip code.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where can my family find CalFresh eligibility information in other languages?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>CDSS has Q&A PDFs about the CalFresh changes in the following languages:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color%20-%20Spanish.pdf\">Spanish\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Arabic.pdf\">Arabic\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Farsi_Dari.pdf\">Farsi/Dari\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Ukrainian.pdf\">Ukrainian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Hmong.pdf\">Hmong\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Cambodian.pdf\">Cambodian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Armenian.pdf\">Armenian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh_Noncitizen_Eligibility_FAQ_Color_Chinese.pdf\">Chinese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Hindi.pdf\">Hindi\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Japanese.pdf\">Japanese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Korean.pdf\">Korean\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Lao.pdf\">Lao\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Mien.pdf\">Mien\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Portuguese.pdf\">Portuguese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Punjabi.pdf\">Punjabi\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Russian.pdf\">Russian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Tagalog.pdf\">Tagalog\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Thai.pdf\">Thai\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Vietnamese.pdf\">Vietnamese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story contains reporting from KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/carlysevern\">Carly Severn\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">Sara Hossaini\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The changes are among the huge cuts to social safety programs in the U.S. enacted by President Donald Trump’s 2025 H.R. 1 spending bill, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” ",
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"title": "Thousands of Immigrants Will Lose Access to CalFresh This Week. Here’s What to Know | KQED",
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"headline": "Thousands of Immigrants Will Lose Access to CalFresh This Week. Here’s What to Know",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Starting Wednesday, tens of thousands of humanitarian immigrants across California will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065310/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-to-cost-san-francisco-400m-end-care-for-thousands\">no longer be eligible for food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program\u003c/a>, benefits that are still sometimes referred to as food stamps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes in who’s eligible for benefits through SNAP — called CalFresh in California — are among the huge cuts to social safety programs in the United States enacted by President Donald Trump’s 2025 H.R. 1 spending bill”, the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101910533/what-the-big-beautiful-bill-means-for-california\">One Big Beautiful Bill Act.\u003c/a>”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some states have already implemented these restrictions, but California will be following suit starting April 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#eligibility\">Who will lose eligibility for CalFresh benefits starting April 1?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#straightaway\">Do impacted people lose benefits straightaway?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>While not all immigrants will be pushed out of CalFresh, Trump’s bill specifically targets individuals like refugees and people claiming asylum in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are people who have come here after escaping violence and persecution and torture,” said Jackie Mendelson, policy advocate with nonprofit organization \u003ca href=\"https://nourishca.org/\">Nourish California\u003c/a>. “These are communities that we have historically said, ‘You are welcome here. We have the support for you. We’re going to help you get established in our country.’ And now, the federal government is abandoning them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around 72,000 lawfully present immigrants in the state will be impacted, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://nourishca.org/our-work/food4all/\">Food4All Coalition\u003c/a>, a statewide advocacy campaign, and the Alameda County Community Food Bank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While exact numbers are not available for the Bay Area, the organizations in a news release estimate that over 5,000 of these individuals are in Alameda County alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064448\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064448\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251113-SNAPDELAYSFEATURE01284_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trozalla Smith stands across advertisements for CalFresh as she holds her groceries from the Alameda Food Bank at the 12th Street BART Station in Oakland on Nov. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Impacted groups already enrolled in CalFresh will \u003cem>not\u003c/em> lose their benefits right away. However, they will not be able to continue using CalFresh when they recertify their benefits after April 1. For most households, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/entres/forms/english/cf37.pdf\">recertification \u003c/a>usually takes place every 12 months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading to learn more about the bill’s impact on CalFresh, who will be most affected, and where you can find access to food in the Bay Area regardless of your situation or immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"eligibility\">\u003c/a>Who will no longer be eligible for CalFresh food benefits starting April 1?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">the California Department of Social Services\u003c/a>, the following groups will no longer be eligible to apply for new CalFresh benefits starting April 1:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Asylees\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Refugees\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Parolees (unless they are \u003ca href=\"https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/orr_fact_sheet_cuban_haitian_entrant.pdf\">Cuban and Haitian Entrants\u003c/a>)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Individuals with deportation or removal withheld\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Conditional entrants\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Survivors of trafficking\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>“Battered noncitizens” \u003ca href=\"https://stgenssa.sccgov.org/debs/program_handbooks/common_place/assets/2CSI/05NCitCatCd/05_05BattrdNoncitiz.htm\">(victims of abuse)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Iraqis or Afghans with Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) who are not Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Certain Afghan Nationals granted parole between July 31, 2021, and September 30, 2023\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Certain Ukrainian Nationals granted parole between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>According to CDSS, “if there are multiple people in your household with different immigration statuses, \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">you will receive a notice showing who is approved and who is denied.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfhsa.org/services/immigrants/public-benefits-immigrants\">Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for CalFresh.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Who is still eligible for CalFresh?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You are still \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">eligible for CalFresh\u003c/a> if you are:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A citizen of the United States\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship/Certificates-Non-Citizen-Nationality.html\">U.S. national\u003c/a> (for example, without citizenship but born in American Samoa or Swains Island)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/orr_fact_sheet_cuban_haitian_entrant.pdf\">A Cuban and Haitian entrant (CHE) \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A citizen of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) who has met the five-year waiting period or has an \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">exemption from the five-year waiting period\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If your immigration status \u003cem>changes\u003c/em> to one of the above (for example, you’ve become a lawful permanent resident), you may be eligible for CalFresh again and \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">should contact your county worker\u003c/a> to learn more.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What other changes to CalFresh eligibility should I know about now?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The changes to eligibility for certain lawfully present immigrants. This will be on top of the restrictions that kicked in in November 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">“must have heating or cooling costs separate from their housing costs” \u003c/a>to claim the Standard Utility Allowance. This does not apply to households that don’t include anyone over the age of 60 or someone with a disability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There will be more changes to CalFresh eligibility coming on June 1, when some people receiving these benefits will need to complete \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/benefits-services/food-nutrition-services/calfresh/frequently-asked-questions\">new work or community engagement hours\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Will I lose my CalFresh benefits right away on April 1?\u003ca id=\"straightaway\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: According to \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">CDSS\u003c/a>, your benefits will continue until your \u003cem>next\u003c/em> recertification, “as long as you continue to meet all other non-immigration eligibility criteria” to receive CalFresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most households \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">recertify every 12 months\u003c/a>, but some units may have longer periods than others. You can find out your recertification date on \u003ca href=\"http://benefitscal.com\">BenefitsCal.com\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At that appointment, “a county worker will determine if you are still eligible for benefits at that time,” CDSS said. According to the agency, you will then receive a notification if you no longer meet CalFresh requirements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nourish California’s Mendelson said that her organization anticipates they’ll “see the majority drop-off for all of these folks” in the next six months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It also means that beginning April 1st, if someone has one of these immigration statuses, and they have not yet applied for CalFresh, and they apply on April 1st, they will be denied benefits,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>I still have questions about my CalFresh eligibility. Who do I go to?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You can call 1-877-847-3663 or \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/\">visit a local office\u003c/a> to receive help with any CalFresh questions you might still have.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mendelson said people should also consider consulting with an immigration legal expert or attorney to learn more about their public health benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066124\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066124\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/CalFreshGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">While not all immigrants will be pushed out of CalFresh, Trump’s bill specifically targets individuals like refugees and people claiming asylum in the U.S. \u003ccite>(Oscar Wong/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The new SNAP eligibility restrictions are “on top of the fears some immigrants already had under the Trump administration and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030564/who-can-see-my-tax-information-when-i-file\">data sharing between agencies\u003c/a>,” Mendelson said — which she sees as another part of a “greater fear and chilling effect that the Trump administration has been creating, attached to receiving public benefits.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12013522/free-legal-aid-in-the-bay-area-how-it-works-where-to-find-it\">a thorough guide on finding free or low-cost legal aid in the Bay Area\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If I’m losing CalFresh, are there government programs I can still use?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The California Food Assistance Program\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some — but not all — humanitarian immigrants may be qualified for\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh/california-food-assistance-program\"> the California Food Assistance Program\u003c/a>. For example, some battered noncitizens and certain parolees who will lose CalFresh eligibility starting April 1 \u003cem>may \u003c/em>be \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">eligible for CFAP\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CFAP uses \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/cdss-programs/calfresh/cfap/how-to-apply\">the same application as CalFresh\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> “At recertification, your county worker will determine your eligibility for CalFresh,” \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">CDSS’ guidance\u003c/a> reads. “If you are no longer eligible for CalFresh due to H.R. 1 but you are eligible for CFAP, your county worker will adjust your benefits at that time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">the CDSS\u003c/a>, “To be eligible for CFAP benefits, you must be ineligible for CalFresh benefits solely due to your immigration status under \u003ca href=\"https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/personal-responsibility-work-opportunity-reconciliation-act-1996\">the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996.\u003c/a>”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Examples of CFAP eligible individuals are noncitizens \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">include\u003c/a>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Legal permanent residents who have not met the five-year U.S. residency requirement or the 40 qualifying work quarters criteria\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Conditional entrants\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Battered or abused\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>As of June 1, \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">parolees\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">who have not met the five-year waiting period or an exemption. \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Mendelson said advocates like her are “working to expand our food assistance program to remove immigration status as a barrier.” Starting Oct. 2027, for example, CFAP will be \u003ca href=\"https://calfresh.guide/california-food-assistance-program-cfap/\">available for people 55 and older regardless of immigration status\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of expansion, Mendelson said, “would actually protect immigrant communities from any future attacks by any future federal government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Women, Infants, and Children Program is \u003cem>not \u003c/em>impacted by the changes going into effect on April 1. WIC provides support — \u003ca href=\"https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/Home/HowWICHelps\">including food assistance\u003c/a> — for families with young children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can check if you are eligible for WIC benefits by \u003ca href=\"https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/Home/AmIEligible\">taking the state’s assessment online\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Will applying to these programs impact my immigration status?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/public-charge-guide/\">California’s Health and Human Services\u003c/a> agency, the Trump administration has proposed removing a 2022 rule that \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/public-charge-guide/\">“removes barriers to accessing public benefits for most immigrants.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the Trump administration’s proposal is not yet in effect. That means that right now, using CFAP and CalFresh will \u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color.pdf\">“not affect your application for a U.S. visa or your family-based application for a green card,”\u003c/a> according to CDSS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062568\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062568\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-26-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Workers sort fresh produce into boxes at the San Francisco‑Marin Food Bank warehouse in San Francisco on Oct. 31, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you have more questions about \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/public-charge-guide/\">public charges\u003c/a>, the CDSS guide suggests you\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12013522/free-legal-aid-in-the-bay-area-how-it-works-where-to-find-it\"> reach out to a legal expert\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where else can I find food assistance? \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>KQED has a thorough guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">using food banks or food pantries near you\u003c/a>. Keep in mind that most food banks are not the actual site to get your meals, but rather a distributor to participating food pantries, organizations, nonprofits and churches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Read in Spanish: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062427/como-encontrar-un-banco-de-alimentos-o-despensa-cerca-de-usted-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Cómo encontrar un banco de alimentos o despensa cerca de usted en el Área de la Bahía\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Many food banks serve people regardless of immigration status. For example, the SF-Marin Food Bank states on \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/\">its website\u003c/a> that it “is committed to serving residents regardless of their immigration status or identity” and as a non-government agency, does “not collect the immigration status of participants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For food banks across the states, typically you don’t need to provide information to get food,” Mendelson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she also said that anyone visiting a food bank that provides food through \u003ca href=\"https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program\">the Emergency Food Assistance Program\u003c/a> — a federal project — “might have to” give some identifying information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So the best course of action is for folks to call their local food bank to ask about reporting requirements,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/do-you-need-food-delivered-to-your-home/\">Some food banks, like the Alameda County Community Food Bank, also make home deliveries\u003c/a> if you’re physically unable to get to the food bank location. ACCFB said late last year that it’s seeing a significant increase in home delivery requests right now, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/bay-area-snap-benefits-21122988.php\">Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas has attributed \u003c/a>to fears many immigrants have about leaving their homes amid\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061545/bay-area-spared-from-federal-immigration-enforcement-surge-officials-say\"> threats of an immigration crackdown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a regularly updated map or tool, you can use:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members/\">The California Association of Food Banks’ online tool\u003c/a>, which lists all the major food banks in the state\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://211ca.org/\">The state’s 211 hotline\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/\">The SF-Marin Food Bank search tool\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cityteam.org/get-help/san-francisco\">CityTeam San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.missionaction.org/find-services/#health\">Mission Action’s\u003c/a> food assistance number, 415-633-6192\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/find-a-food-pantry/\">Alameda County Community Food Bank\u003c/a>; you can also call 510-635-3663\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.foodbankccs.org/find-food/foodbycity/?_gl=1*3ajdlo*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjA5ODkyMDQ5NS4xNzYxMjQ2NjU0*_ga_8BLR9BK6YN*czE3NjEyNDY2NTMkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjEyNDY2NTMkajYwJGwwJGgw\">Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano\u003c/a>; you can also call for help at 855-309-3663\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://getfood.refb.org/getfood.html\">Redwood Empire\u003c/a> of Sonoma County; you can also text “FOOD” to 707-353-3882\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.shfb.org/get-food/?filter_mode=distribution/\">Second Harvest of Silicon Valley\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Local trusted community organizations, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.womensbuilding.org/programs/food-pantry\">the Women’s Building in San Francisco\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://sirenimmigrantrights.org/\"> SIREN in the South Bay\u003c/a>, are also a major way for people to connect to food resources, Mendelson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you find a spot, be sure to check out the food bank or pantry online before heading out. Note what hours they are open, and for how long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some locations are open to anyone from any city or county and accept walk-ins, but some may require people to register for a spot beforehand or live in a specific zip code.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where can my family find CalFresh eligibility information in other languages?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>CDSS has Q&A PDFs about the CalFresh changes in the following languages:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color%20-%20Spanish.pdf\">Spanish\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Arabic.pdf\">Arabic\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Farsi_Dari.pdf\">Farsi/Dari\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Ukrainian.pdf\">Ukrainian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Hmong.pdf\">Hmong\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Cambodian.pdf\">Cambodian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Armenian.pdf\">Armenian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh_Noncitizen_Eligibility_FAQ_Color_Chinese.pdf\">Chinese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Hindi.pdf\">Hindi\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Japanese.pdf\">Japanese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Korean.pdf\">Korean\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Lao.pdf\">Lao\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Mien.pdf\">Mien\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Portuguese.pdf\">Portuguese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Punjabi.pdf\">Punjabi\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Russian.pdf\">Russian\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Tagalog.pdf\">Tagalog\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Thai.pdf\">Thai\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CalFreshResourceCenter/CalFresh%20Noncitizen%20Eligibility%20FAQ_Color_Vietnamese.pdf\">Vietnamese\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story contains reporting from KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/carlysevern\">Carly Severn\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">Sara Hossaini\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "for-56-years-this-berkeley-food-pantry-built-a-community-now-its-shutting-down",
"title": "For 56 Years, This Berkeley Food Pantry Built a Community. Now It’s Shutting Down",
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"headTitle": "For 56 Years, This Berkeley Food Pantry Built a Community. Now It’s Shutting Down | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>For the last three years, Robin Franklin has been a fixture of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> Food Pantry’s thrice-weekly distributions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without fail, she can be found on the bottom floor of the Berkeley Friends Quaker Church on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, running the operation’s cold bag assembly like a well-oiled machine, loading paper sacks onto a queue of rolling carts to be wheeled out to the church parking lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They didn’t used to do it like this. They didn’t use the carts,” Franklin said Wednesday as she packed macaroni salad — a premium “extra” — into bags filled with eggs and chicken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The bags get done by a morning group. They get them all set up on the table. I load the carts, and then when we start getting down, if we still have a lot of people coming in, I start making more bags,” Franklin said as a line formed around the block. “If there’s any that aren’t given away, then I have to break them down, put stuff back in the refrigerators, in the freezer, so it doesn’t spoil.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s about to change, though, after the pantry shut its doors for good on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For 56 years, it operated out of the Berkeley Friends Church in North Berkeley, providing fresh produce and groceries to more than 4,000 Berkeley and Albany residents a month. But since July, Franklin and the pantry’s community of more than 100 volunteers — along with its shoppers and three part-time employees — have known changes, at the least, were on the horizon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071484\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071484\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A volunteer with the Berkeley Food Pantry grabs a grocery bag to distribute to community members on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As the operation expands beyond the church’s capacity, and its congregation ages, Berkeley Friends Church \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyfoodpantry.org/2025-july-newsletter\">announced over the summer\u003c/a> that the pantry would merge with the larger Berkeley Food Network, which serves about 6,500 residents a week in West Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pantry said at the time that beginning this year, it would be managed and overseen by the Berkeley Food Network, but its food distribution program would continue to operate at the church site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in December, the groups jointly announced that negotiations had fallen through, and the Berkeley Food Pantry would shutter at the end of January. A group of regular volunteers is still trying to figure out a way to keep the pantry open elsewhere, but it’s unclear whether that will be possible.[aside postID=news_12058985 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/EastBayFoodBankGetty1.jpg']“It’s incredibly sad,” said Marice Ash, who has volunteered every Wednesday for three and a half years. “It just feels like a very mutual, self-help community coming together. I’m going to miss it … and people need this. That’s hard, too, knowing that we’re closing when there’s so much need.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ash said that other food banks nearby will likely absorb the organization’s stock and customers, but the pantry has always felt different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a little anarchic,” she said, laughing. “It’s a creative place, and we’re not stuck in narrow jobs. If you see a job that needs to get done, you can jump in and do it. And the clients are jumping in all the time, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of people who’ve been here for years and years — in fact, some people … are still working here every day,” she continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ash remembers when Franklin first volunteered: For years, she rummaged through the church’s garbage bins for cracked eggs and spoiled produce to feed her chickens. One day, she came by during a distribution and noticed that the crew was short-staffed, so she locked up her bike and offered to help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never missed a day since,” Franklin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071485\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071485\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers Kris Starr’Witort (right) and Carter Mehl embrace outside the Berkeley Food Pantry on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. The pantry is set to close on Friday after 56 years in operation. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becky Cooper mans the “milk area,” directing clients to the right food bags from behind a small plastic table on Wednesdays. She said she started volunteering about nine months ago, when she came to pick up groceries for a neighbor on a day that they didn’t have a lot of help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I said, ‘[Do] you want me to put my groceries in the car and then I’ll come help?’ That’s how that happened,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a nice interaction with the people, and it makes me smile,” she said. “If you can smile on Wednesday, you can make it to Friday.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pantry was founded by a Berkeley Friends Church member in 1969, and it still operates under the church’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071491\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12071491 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prepped paper bags line the walls inside Berkeley Friends Church on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. The church has housed the Berkeley Food Pantry for years and will host its final distribution on Friday. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But last month, as the church and the Berkeley Food Network tried to negotiate the future of the pantry, it became clear that neither organization had the capacity to transition and keep the pantry running, “particularly in light of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064126/snap-benefits-hung-in-limbo-for-weeks-it-was-a-peek-at-life-under-long-term-cuts\">impacts of the government shutdown\u003c/a> and surging needs for food assistance,” they said in a joint statement. “This mutual conclusion reflects a commitment to responsible stewardship of community resources.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Franklin said that when the partnership with Berkeley Food Network fell through, a group of volunteers had hoped to find another nonprofit that might take in their operation. They identified two in the fall; one didn’t have a physical space large enough, but the other, First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, already runs a bi-weekly pantry on Saturdays, she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the Berkeley Friends Church didn’t seem open to those options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steve Sims, the presiding clerk for Berkeley Friends Church, said that the church is aware that some volunteers are trying to relocate the operation elsewhere and plans to meet with them in February to share their knowledge and give input. He said the pantry has volunteer and donor lists it could share.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071488\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071488\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marice Ashe, a longtime volunteer and public health advocate, pauses while preparing grocery bags inside Berkeley Friends Church on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. The church has housed the pantry for years and will host its final distribution on Friday. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to kind of take a fallow period to catch our breath, and then we’re going to do some discernment about what should be done with residual resources,” he said. The new operation wouldn’t operate under the same name, he said, but “if the new pantry is something that looks like it’s a viable operation and would be a responsible use of that money that still remains, we could contribute to them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But running the pantry out of the church is no longer an option, after it grew rapidly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic while the congregation dwindled in size.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just didn’t have the capacity to run that big of an organization,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with the community they built over several years, volunteers said the pantry’s closure also means losing longstanding relationships that people who’ve worked at the pantry for more than a decade have formed with local grocery stores and nonprofits. Most of that food will be redirected to other organizations, like Berkeley Food Network, but Franklin said some of these deals were unique, like one that a volunteer had struck up with the local Trader Joe’s for their damaged egg cartons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071487\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071487\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A van marked with the Berkeley Food Pantry logo is parked as two people pass by on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She takes out the cracked ones and repackages the good eggs into new dozens — setting aside the broken ones for Franklin’s chickens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Target delivers diapers and toiletries, and Tim Tang, who travels more than two miles by bike and bus to reach the pantry from South Berkeley, said he can sometimes get a rare assortment of specialty foods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can pick up stuff that they usually don’t give out at food banks, like fermented foods … kimchi or some kombucha, or a bread that’s not made from wheat,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Customers can get four bags once a month — two of produce, along with one of grains and another with meat and eggs — and can come back a second time for two more, Cooper said. But Tang shows up on almost every distribution day because of another unconventional fixture of the pantry’s operation: the sharing table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071486\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071486\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two community members reach for a can of soup at a food swap table outside the Berkeley Food Pantry on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the back corner of the church parking lot, people gather around two plastic folding tables, discarding and grabbing items they don’t want to schlep home or likely won’t eat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The general idea is that if you don’t want it, you put it on the table, and then there’s always other people like us vultures kind of circling around,” he said, eyeing a can of corn that’d just been put up for grabs. “It’s just kind of, so they don’t have to haul it home and throw it out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said when the pantry closes, he’ll probably go to the Berkeley Food Network’s 9th Street warehouse, where they distribute food on Tuesdays and Thursdays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be kind of a pain,” he said, adding that getting to the other spot means a bus transfer and likely longer lines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071489\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071489\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A flyer posted at Berkeley Friends Church announces a Jan. 31, 2026, event marking the closure of the Berkeley Food Pantry after more than five decades in service. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most of the volunteers said they would also look elsewhere to continue their work, though many aren’t sure where yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Next Monday, when I’m not going to be here, am I going to be happy? I’ll figure out a routine for myself; it’ll just be different. I’ll be losing contact with a lot of the people around here,” Franklin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Wednesday’s distribution was wrapping up around 4 p.m., many of the regulars were headed to Ash’s house to commemorate the final day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve vowed to try to stay in contact. But you know people have busy lives,” Franklin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For the last three years, Robin Franklin has been a fixture of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> Food Pantry’s thrice-weekly distributions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without fail, she can be found on the bottom floor of the Berkeley Friends Quaker Church on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, running the operation’s cold bag assembly like a well-oiled machine, loading paper sacks onto a queue of rolling carts to be wheeled out to the church parking lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They didn’t used to do it like this. They didn’t use the carts,” Franklin said Wednesday as she packed macaroni salad — a premium “extra” — into bags filled with eggs and chicken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The bags get done by a morning group. They get them all set up on the table. I load the carts, and then when we start getting down, if we still have a lot of people coming in, I start making more bags,” Franklin said as a line formed around the block. “If there’s any that aren’t given away, then I have to break them down, put stuff back in the refrigerators, in the freezer, so it doesn’t spoil.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s about to change, though, after the pantry shut its doors for good on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For 56 years, it operated out of the Berkeley Friends Church in North Berkeley, providing fresh produce and groceries to more than 4,000 Berkeley and Albany residents a month. But since July, Franklin and the pantry’s community of more than 100 volunteers — along with its shoppers and three part-time employees — have known changes, at the least, were on the horizon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071484\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071484\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_001-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A volunteer with the Berkeley Food Pantry grabs a grocery bag to distribute to community members on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As the operation expands beyond the church’s capacity, and its congregation ages, Berkeley Friends Church \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyfoodpantry.org/2025-july-newsletter\">announced over the summer\u003c/a> that the pantry would merge with the larger Berkeley Food Network, which serves about 6,500 residents a week in West Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pantry said at the time that beginning this year, it would be managed and overseen by the Berkeley Food Network, but its food distribution program would continue to operate at the church site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in December, the groups jointly announced that negotiations had fallen through, and the Berkeley Food Pantry would shutter at the end of January. A group of regular volunteers is still trying to figure out a way to keep the pantry open elsewhere, but it’s unclear whether that will be possible.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It’s incredibly sad,” said Marice Ash, who has volunteered every Wednesday for three and a half years. “It just feels like a very mutual, self-help community coming together. I’m going to miss it … and people need this. That’s hard, too, knowing that we’re closing when there’s so much need.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ash said that other food banks nearby will likely absorb the organization’s stock and customers, but the pantry has always felt different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a little anarchic,” she said, laughing. “It’s a creative place, and we’re not stuck in narrow jobs. If you see a job that needs to get done, you can jump in and do it. And the clients are jumping in all the time, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of people who’ve been here for years and years — in fact, some people … are still working here every day,” she continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ash remembers when Franklin first volunteered: For years, she rummaged through the church’s garbage bins for cracked eggs and spoiled produce to feed her chickens. One day, she came by during a distribution and noticed that the crew was short-staffed, so she locked up her bike and offered to help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never missed a day since,” Franklin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071485\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071485\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_003-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers Kris Starr’Witort (right) and Carter Mehl embrace outside the Berkeley Food Pantry on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. The pantry is set to close on Friday after 56 years in operation. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becky Cooper mans the “milk area,” directing clients to the right food bags from behind a small plastic table on Wednesdays. She said she started volunteering about nine months ago, when she came to pick up groceries for a neighbor on a day that they didn’t have a lot of help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I said, ‘[Do] you want me to put my groceries in the car and then I’ll come help?’ That’s how that happened,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a nice interaction with the people, and it makes me smile,” she said. “If you can smile on Wednesday, you can make it to Friday.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pantry was founded by a Berkeley Friends Church member in 1969, and it still operates under the church’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071491\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12071491 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_016-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prepped paper bags line the walls inside Berkeley Friends Church on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. The church has housed the Berkeley Food Pantry for years and will host its final distribution on Friday. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But last month, as the church and the Berkeley Food Network tried to negotiate the future of the pantry, it became clear that neither organization had the capacity to transition and keep the pantry running, “particularly in light of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064126/snap-benefits-hung-in-limbo-for-weeks-it-was-a-peek-at-life-under-long-term-cuts\">impacts of the government shutdown\u003c/a> and surging needs for food assistance,” they said in a joint statement. “This mutual conclusion reflects a commitment to responsible stewardship of community resources.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Franklin said that when the partnership with Berkeley Food Network fell through, a group of volunteers had hoped to find another nonprofit that might take in their operation. They identified two in the fall; one didn’t have a physical space large enough, but the other, First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, already runs a bi-weekly pantry on Saturdays, she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the Berkeley Friends Church didn’t seem open to those options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steve Sims, the presiding clerk for Berkeley Friends Church, said that the church is aware that some volunteers are trying to relocate the operation elsewhere and plans to meet with them in February to share their knowledge and give input. He said the pantry has volunteer and donor lists it could share.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071488\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071488\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marice Ashe, a longtime volunteer and public health advocate, pauses while preparing grocery bags inside Berkeley Friends Church on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. The church has housed the pantry for years and will host its final distribution on Friday. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to kind of take a fallow period to catch our breath, and then we’re going to do some discernment about what should be done with residual resources,” he said. The new operation wouldn’t operate under the same name, he said, but “if the new pantry is something that looks like it’s a viable operation and would be a responsible use of that money that still remains, we could contribute to them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But running the pantry out of the church is no longer an option, after it grew rapidly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic while the congregation dwindled in size.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just didn’t have the capacity to run that big of an organization,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with the community they built over several years, volunteers said the pantry’s closure also means losing longstanding relationships that people who’ve worked at the pantry for more than a decade have formed with local grocery stores and nonprofits. Most of that food will be redirected to other organizations, like Berkeley Food Network, but Franklin said some of these deals were unique, like one that a volunteer had struck up with the local Trader Joe’s for their damaged egg cartons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071487\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071487\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_006-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A van marked with the Berkeley Food Pantry logo is parked as two people pass by on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She takes out the cracked ones and repackages the good eggs into new dozens — setting aside the broken ones for Franklin’s chickens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Target delivers diapers and toiletries, and Tim Tang, who travels more than two miles by bike and bus to reach the pantry from South Berkeley, said he can sometimes get a rare assortment of specialty foods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can pick up stuff that they usually don’t give out at food banks, like fermented foods … kimchi or some kombucha, or a bread that’s not made from wheat,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Customers can get four bags once a month — two of produce, along with one of grains and another with meat and eggs — and can come back a second time for two more, Cooper said. But Tang shows up on almost every distribution day because of another unconventional fixture of the pantry’s operation: the sharing table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071486\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071486\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two community members reach for a can of soup at a food swap table outside the Berkeley Food Pantry on Jan. 28, 2026, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the back corner of the church parking lot, people gather around two plastic folding tables, discarding and grabbing items they don’t want to schlep home or likely won’t eat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The general idea is that if you don’t want it, you put it on the table, and then there’s always other people like us vultures kind of circling around,” he said, eyeing a can of corn that’d just been put up for grabs. “It’s just kind of, so they don’t have to haul it home and throw it out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said when the pantry closes, he’ll probably go to the Berkeley Food Network’s 9th Street warehouse, where they distribute food on Tuesdays and Thursdays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be kind of a pain,” he said, adding that getting to the other spot means a bus transfer and likely longer lines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071489\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071489\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012826_THEBERKELEYFOODPANTRY_GH_008-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A flyer posted at Berkeley Friends Church announces a Jan. 31, 2026, event marking the closure of the Berkeley Food Pantry after more than five decades in service. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most of the volunteers said they would also look elsewhere to continue their work, though many aren’t sure where yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Next Monday, when I’m not going to be here, am I going to be happy? I’ll figure out a routine for myself; it’ll just be different. I’ll be losing contact with a lot of the people around here,” Franklin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Wednesday’s distribution was wrapping up around 4 p.m., many of the regulars were headed to Ash’s house to commemorate the final day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve vowed to try to stay in contact. But you know people have busy lives,” Franklin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Community Seafood Program Helps Feed The Hungry In Monterey",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, December 15, 2025…\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Santa Cruz and Monterey counties largest food banks report a third of residents can’t consistently afford healthy food. And in this rich fishing region, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kazu.org/kazu-news/2025-12-01/community-seafood-program-fills-bellies-with-local-catch\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">some of the freshest catch\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is helping fill those empty bellies. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doctors are petitioning California to prohibit the use of a popular countertop material linked to the death of dozens of stoneworkers. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2 class=\"ArtP-headline\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kazu.org/kazu-news/2025-12-01/community-seafood-program-fills-bellies-with-local-catch\">\u003cstrong>Community Seafood Program Fills Bellies With Local Catch\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To help fill empty bellies among the region’s food insecure population, the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust started the \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://montereybayfisheriestrust.org/communityseafood\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Community Seafood Program\u003c/a> five years ago. It buys seafood from local fishing boats and donates the fresh fish to local food relief organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The need is great. The Food Bank of Monterey County \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://foodbankformontereycounty.org/what-we-do/hunger-in-monterey-county/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cu>reports\u003c/u>\u003c/a> 34% of residents can’t consistently afford food and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.thefoodbank.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cu>found\u003c/u>\u003c/a> food insecurity affects one in three residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year the Fisheries Trust will spend $40,000 on local seafood, which translates to 25,000 meals. \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://alandfriends.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Al & Friends\u003c/a> is one organization that receives donations thanks to the program. Sea Harvest, a family-run fishing business based out of Moss Landing, delivers to Al & Friends every couple months. Third-generation Monterey Bay fisherman Walter Deyerle helps operate Sea Harvest. After boats hit Sea Harvest’s dock in Moss Landing, cranes lift the catch off in bins and the fish are weighed and separated by species. Then, the seafood is either trucked off for delivery, or forklifted into the processing plant on site and sold in local markets. ”Everything comes off the boat, it’s processed, [then] either frozen, sold that day, or held for the next day for a sale,” said Deyerle. “But nothing sits around out here. Everything moves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He usually hand-delivers the week’s catch to Al Siekert, the founder of Al & Friends. Siekert cooks out of the community kitchen at Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove. “The only rule we have is a closed mouth don’t get fed,” said Siekert. With his team of 100-plus volunteers, he consistently churns out restaurant-quality meals for food insecure folks every Sunday morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They serve the food at Window on the Bay Park just past Monterey’s Municipal Wharf. Luis Vasquez is one of the regulars. “I love this place,” said Vasquez, who is a seasonal farmworker and, like the majority of people eating with Al & Friends, lacks access to nutritious food. “ Everything’s free—clothes, food—what we need, everything’s here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Siekert started serving meals to roughly 20 people 12 years ago. Now, some weeks 150 people take a plate. At 82, he says he’s still applying a lesson he learned at a young age. “It was engrained in me at a very early age that people shared what they had,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-Title-__Title__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">\u003cstrong>California Doctors Urge Ban On Engineered Stone\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has the nation’s strictest rules to protect stoneworkers from breathing in toxic silica dust that’s released when cutting artificial stone to make countertops. But experts said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">that’s not enough\u003c/a> to prevent hundreds more workers from contracting silicosis, an incurable lung disease. Dr. Robert Blick is with the Western Occupational & Environmental Medical Association. “As long as this dangerous material remains available and is purchased and used in California, it’s inevitable that people will continue to be exposed and die,” Blick said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As silicosis cases surge in California’s countertop fabrication industry, medical and occupational safety experts warn that current regulations won’t protect hundreds of relatively young workers from contracting the incurable illness. The state must act urgently to phase out hazardous engineered stone from fabrication shops, as Australia did, they say, to stem a growing health crisis. Australia banned the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops in July 2024, forcing major manufacturers to switch to silica-free alternatives in that market, though they still sell their higher-silica products in the U.S. The companies maintain that their products are safe if fabrication shops follow protocols.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 1,000 to 1,500 stoneworkers in California could develop silicosis within the next decade, leading to roughly 285 deaths, according to California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA. The state is home to about 5,000 countertop fabrication workers, predominantly Latino immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, December 15, 2025…\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Santa Cruz and Monterey counties largest food banks report a third of residents can’t consistently afford healthy food. And in this rich fishing region, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kazu.org/kazu-news/2025-12-01/community-seafood-program-fills-bellies-with-local-catch\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">some of the freshest catch\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is helping fill those empty bellies. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doctors are petitioning California to prohibit the use of a popular countertop material linked to the death of dozens of stoneworkers. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2 class=\"ArtP-headline\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kazu.org/kazu-news/2025-12-01/community-seafood-program-fills-bellies-with-local-catch\">\u003cstrong>Community Seafood Program Fills Bellies With Local Catch\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To help fill empty bellies among the region’s food insecure population, the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust started the \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://montereybayfisheriestrust.org/communityseafood\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Community Seafood Program\u003c/a> five years ago. It buys seafood from local fishing boats and donates the fresh fish to local food relief organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The need is great. The Food Bank of Monterey County \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://foodbankformontereycounty.org/what-we-do/hunger-in-monterey-county/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cu>reports\u003c/u>\u003c/a> 34% of residents can’t consistently afford food and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.thefoodbank.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cu>found\u003c/u>\u003c/a> food insecurity affects one in three residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year the Fisheries Trust will spend $40,000 on local seafood, which translates to 25,000 meals. \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://alandfriends.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Al & Friends\u003c/a> is one organization that receives donations thanks to the program. Sea Harvest, a family-run fishing business based out of Moss Landing, delivers to Al & Friends every couple months. Third-generation Monterey Bay fisherman Walter Deyerle helps operate Sea Harvest. After boats hit Sea Harvest’s dock in Moss Landing, cranes lift the catch off in bins and the fish are weighed and separated by species. Then, the seafood is either trucked off for delivery, or forklifted into the processing plant on site and sold in local markets. ”Everything comes off the boat, it’s processed, [then] either frozen, sold that day, or held for the next day for a sale,” said Deyerle. “But nothing sits around out here. Everything moves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He usually hand-delivers the week’s catch to Al Siekert, the founder of Al & Friends. Siekert cooks out of the community kitchen at Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove. “The only rule we have is a closed mouth don’t get fed,” said Siekert. With his team of 100-plus volunteers, he consistently churns out restaurant-quality meals for food insecure folks every Sunday morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They serve the food at Window on the Bay Park just past Monterey’s Municipal Wharf. Luis Vasquez is one of the regulars. “I love this place,” said Vasquez, who is a seasonal farmworker and, like the majority of people eating with Al & Friends, lacks access to nutritious food. “ Everything’s free—clothes, food—what we need, everything’s here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Siekert started serving meals to roughly 20 people 12 years ago. Now, some weeks 150 people take a plate. At 82, he says he’s still applying a lesson he learned at a young age. “It was engrained in me at a very early age that people shared what they had,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-Title-__Title__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">\u003cstrong>California Doctors Urge Ban On Engineered Stone\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has the nation’s strictest rules to protect stoneworkers from breathing in toxic silica dust that’s released when cutting artificial stone to make countertops. But experts said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">that’s not enough\u003c/a> to prevent hundreds more workers from contracting silicosis, an incurable lung disease. Dr. Robert Blick is with the Western Occupational & Environmental Medical Association. “As long as this dangerous material remains available and is purchased and used in California, it’s inevitable that people will continue to be exposed and die,” Blick said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As silicosis cases surge in California’s countertop fabrication industry, medical and occupational safety experts warn that current regulations won’t protect hundreds of relatively young workers from contracting the incurable illness. The state must act urgently to phase out hazardous engineered stone from fabrication shops, as Australia did, they say, to stem a growing health crisis. Australia banned the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops in July 2024, forcing major manufacturers to switch to silica-free alternatives in that market, though they still sell their higher-silica products in the U.S. The companies maintain that their products are safe if fabrication shops follow protocols.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 1,000 to 1,500 stoneworkers in California could develop silicosis within the next decade, leading to roughly 285 deaths, according to California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA. The state is home to about 5,000 countertop fabrication workers, predominantly Latino immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>It’s only been a month since\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060770/snap-calfresh-food-stamps-government-shutdown-november-payments-ebt\"> the federal government shutdown\u003c/a> caused the 5.5 million Californians who use CalFresh — the state’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — to see their payments delayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And although payments of SNAP (formerly referred to as food stamps) have restarted, another holiday season is around the corner, putting extra strain on folks who are food insecure in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One positive development: the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program — a state program offering SNAP recipients up to $60 of free produce each month — has restarted as of November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://a24.asmdc.org/press-releases/20251120-calfresh-program-relaunches-make-healthy-food-more-affordable\">The program, which first launched in 2023\u003c/a>, is dependent on state-allocated annual funds that are spent until they’re used up, and the 2024 cycle ran out for CalFresh users back in January of this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year, the program has received an injection of $36 million, which is projected to last until summer 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In previous years, the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program has made “a real, real difference to so many families,” before its funds were used up, said Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San José), who chairs the state Legislature’s Human Services Committee with oversight of CalFresh policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11792620\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11792620 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/12/ap_17271692702067-ea1b97e98e157d598fa245d9c752f917e6c25c57-e1576950264238.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program has officially restarted, offering SNAP recipients up to $60 in free monthly produce. \u003ccite>(Danny Moloshok/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But despite that, he said, “still only a small percentage of all CalFresh-eligible families are using it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While only six stores in the Bay Area are participating in the program right now — almost all of them in the South Bay — anyone receiving CalFresh benefits can automatically receive $60 worth of fresh produce each month if they’re able to reach one of these locations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for how the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program works, where it’s available and how to redeem your money in-store.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you don’t need this information yourself right now, consider sharing it with someone else who might: “One in five Californians suffer from food insecurity,” Lee said. “So statistically speaking, you are, or you know someone who is struggling with food.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can anyone on CalFresh use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: If you receive any CalFresh (SNAP) benefits, you have automatic access to the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program at participating stores (see below).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You don’t need to apply for anything, as your EBT card itself is your proof of eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program in any store that accepts EBT?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: You’ll need to visit one of the specific stores participating in the program.[aside postID=news_11974262 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/GettyImages-1322106041-1536x1024-1-1020x680.jpg']In the Bay Area, almost all of these stores are in Santa Clara County:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Santa Fe Foods, 860 White Road, San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 204 Willow St., San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 1003 Lincoln Ave., San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 2620 Alum Rock Ave., San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 6906 Automall Pkwy., Gilroy\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In Alameda County, you can use the program at:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Santa Fe Foods, 7356 Thornton Ave., Newark\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>There are also participating stores in Monterey and Salinas counties, and several in the Los Angeles area. See a full list of grocery stores participating in \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ebt/california-fruit-vegetable-ebt-pilot-project\">the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How do I use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program in the store?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, make sure you’re in one of \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ebt/california-fruit-vegetable-ebt-pilot-project\">the stores participating in the program\u003c/a> — mistakes can happen — and that you’ve brought your EBT card with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next, do your shopping as normal, and pick up fresh fruits and vegetables as part of your trip. You don’t have to separate the produce or pay for it in a different transaction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the register, tell the cashier you’d like to use your EBT card to pay for your shopping, like you usually would. When it comes to the fresh fruits and vegetables in your cart, you’ll initially see the costs of those particular items come off your EBT funds — but then those funds will be immediately returned, making that produce effectively free at the register.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11943822\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11943822 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/GettyImages-1144627849-scaled-e1764880413771.jpg\" alt=\"A young Asian man with short dark hair and round glasses carries a 1-year-old girl, with tiny black pigtails, in a harness on his chest, with the girl facing out. They stand in the light of a vegetable display in a supermarket. The man holds a plastic container full of green vegetables, maybe cucumbers, smiling as his daughter reaches out to touch the box.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you receive any CalFresh (SNAP) benefits, you have automatic access to the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program at participating stores. \u003ccite>(d3sign/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another way of seeing it: If your cart amounts to $15 of EBT-eligible food, including $5 of produce, you’ll initially see $15 debited from your card on the screen — but then you’ll see the instant rebate of $5 for your produce, meaning your final receipt will only be $10.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People don’t have to enroll and do anything different; they don’t have to keep track of some paper coupon or some other card,” said Eli Zigas, executive director of Fullwell: the Bay Area nonprofit advocacy organization partnering with the state to administer the program this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s all built into the EBT card at the participating locations,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while you can get these instant rebates for up to $60 worth of produce each month, remember: You don’t have to “spend” that $60 up in one transaction. Your EBT will automatically keep track of your produce purchases and just stop issuing the instant rebates once you’ve hit that $60 cap for the month.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does the amount of produce I can buy using the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program depend on how much I’m receiving in CalFresh benefits?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: Every CalFresh household can get up to $60 of free fresh fruits and vegetables with their EBT card, regardless of the amount of benefits they receive. It’s a flat amount for all SNAP users in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>My EBT balance is at $0 right now. Can I still use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: To get the instant rebate on money spent on fresh fruit and vegetables, you’ll first need to actually spend those funds using your EBT card — even though you’ll immediately get the money back onto that card.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you don’t have any money on your EBT card available, you’ll have to wait until your CalFresh funds are reloaded next month to be able to use the program again. But remember that if your EBT funds are running low, you can still spend a smaller amount — or whatever’s available on your card — on fresh fruit and vegetables and receive the money back instantly, until you’ve maxed out that $60-per-month cap.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is there a deadline to use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The $36 million approved in the most recent state budget by the California legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program “is three and a half times more money than this program has ever had previously for an annual cycle,” Zigas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In previous years, Lee said, the funding would last for different periods “because the program was so wildly successful and oversubscribed that it would run out for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11104718\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11104718 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/09/11104717-thumb-e1764880797557.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1350\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">CalFresh (SNAP) recipients have automatic access to the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program at participating stores. \u003ccite>(Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So what about 2026? “We estimate, based on previous usage, that the program will have funds to run through the summer,” Zigas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after summer arrives, Zigas said, “it’s all going to depend on what the usage is, and whether there’s renewed funding.” So while you still have many months to try the program, you shouldn’t wait too long — not least because each month that passes will bring another $60 for you to spend on produce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062685/eating-for-survival-with-november-snap-delays-how-will-bay-area-families-cope\">the SNAP delays caused by the government shutdown\u003c/a>, “I think people have seen recently more than ever before how important CalFresh is and how much people are struggling to put food on the table,” Zigas said. “We would love to see this program not only operate continuously all year long without interruption, but also expand — because it’s a limited number of grocery stores right now offering this program, and it could be so much bigger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program the same as Market Match, and can I use both?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://marketmatch.org/\">Market Match\u003c/a> is a statewide program that distributes funds to farmers’ markets across California, allowing people using CalFresh to “match” an amount of their choosing from their EBT card at the market with tokens to spend at that location — essentially doubling their funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial/video/7244672340460637482\" data-video-id=\"7244672340460637482\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@kqedofficial\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@kqedofficial\u003c/a> If you use CalFresh, otherwise known as food stamps, you could be getting extra money to spend at your local farmer’s market. It’s called Market Match, and here’s a step-by-step guide for when you use your EBT card there. \u003ca title=\"calfresh\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/calfresh?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#CalFresh\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"foodstamps\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foodstamps?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#FoodStamps\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"ebt\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/ebt?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#EBT\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"farmersmarket\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/farmersmarket?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#FarmersMarket\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ original sound - kqed\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7244672377030757162?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ original sound – kqed\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>[tiktok]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Market Match is a separate state program from the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program, but people on CalFresh can use both programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://marketmatch.org/\">Learn more about the Market Match program\u003c/a>, and watch KQED’s video on how to use your EBT card at your local market.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program focus on fresh produce specifically?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The program’s focus on fresh fruit and vegetables “is recognizing that CalFresh benefits, as good as they are, are often insufficient for people to afford the food that they want for their families,” Zigas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is especially true of fresh fruits and vegetables, he said, “which are harder to justify buying when you have less income because they’re not shelf stable, and you don’t know if your kids are necessarily going to like them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People would like to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and often just don’t feel like they can make that choice — or afford it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s only been a month since\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060770/snap-calfresh-food-stamps-government-shutdown-november-payments-ebt\"> the federal government shutdown\u003c/a> caused the 5.5 million Californians who use CalFresh — the state’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — to see their payments delayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And although payments of SNAP (formerly referred to as food stamps) have restarted, another holiday season is around the corner, putting extra strain on folks who are food insecure in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One positive development: the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program — a state program offering SNAP recipients up to $60 of free produce each month — has restarted as of November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://a24.asmdc.org/press-releases/20251120-calfresh-program-relaunches-make-healthy-food-more-affordable\">The program, which first launched in 2023\u003c/a>, is dependent on state-allocated annual funds that are spent until they’re used up, and the 2024 cycle ran out for CalFresh users back in January of this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year, the program has received an injection of $36 million, which is projected to last until summer 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In previous years, the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program has made “a real, real difference to so many families,” before its funds were used up, said Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San José), who chairs the state Legislature’s Human Services Committee with oversight of CalFresh policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11792620\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11792620 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/12/ap_17271692702067-ea1b97e98e157d598fa245d9c752f917e6c25c57-e1576950264238.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program has officially restarted, offering SNAP recipients up to $60 in free monthly produce. \u003ccite>(Danny Moloshok/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But despite that, he said, “still only a small percentage of all CalFresh-eligible families are using it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While only six stores in the Bay Area are participating in the program right now — almost all of them in the South Bay — anyone receiving CalFresh benefits can automatically receive $60 worth of fresh produce each month if they’re able to reach one of these locations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for how the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program works, where it’s available and how to redeem your money in-store.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you don’t need this information yourself right now, consider sharing it with someone else who might: “One in five Californians suffer from food insecurity,” Lee said. “So statistically speaking, you are, or you know someone who is struggling with food.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can anyone on CalFresh use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: If you receive any CalFresh (SNAP) benefits, you have automatic access to the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program at participating stores (see below).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You don’t need to apply for anything, as your EBT card itself is your proof of eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program in any store that accepts EBT?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: You’ll need to visit one of the specific stores participating in the program.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In the Bay Area, almost all of these stores are in Santa Clara County:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Santa Fe Foods, 860 White Road, San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 204 Willow St., San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 1003 Lincoln Ave., San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 2620 Alum Rock Ave., San José\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Arteaga’s Food Center, 6906 Automall Pkwy., Gilroy\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In Alameda County, you can use the program at:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Santa Fe Foods, 7356 Thornton Ave., Newark\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>There are also participating stores in Monterey and Salinas counties, and several in the Los Angeles area. See a full list of grocery stores participating in \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ebt/california-fruit-vegetable-ebt-pilot-project\">the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How do I use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program in the store?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, make sure you’re in one of \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ebt/california-fruit-vegetable-ebt-pilot-project\">the stores participating in the program\u003c/a> — mistakes can happen — and that you’ve brought your EBT card with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next, do your shopping as normal, and pick up fresh fruits and vegetables as part of your trip. You don’t have to separate the produce or pay for it in a different transaction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the register, tell the cashier you’d like to use your EBT card to pay for your shopping, like you usually would. When it comes to the fresh fruits and vegetables in your cart, you’ll initially see the costs of those particular items come off your EBT funds — but then those funds will be immediately returned, making that produce effectively free at the register.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11943822\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11943822 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/GettyImages-1144627849-scaled-e1764880413771.jpg\" alt=\"A young Asian man with short dark hair and round glasses carries a 1-year-old girl, with tiny black pigtails, in a harness on his chest, with the girl facing out. They stand in the light of a vegetable display in a supermarket. The man holds a plastic container full of green vegetables, maybe cucumbers, smiling as his daughter reaches out to touch the box.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you receive any CalFresh (SNAP) benefits, you have automatic access to the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program at participating stores. \u003ccite>(d3sign/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another way of seeing it: If your cart amounts to $15 of EBT-eligible food, including $5 of produce, you’ll initially see $15 debited from your card on the screen — but then you’ll see the instant rebate of $5 for your produce, meaning your final receipt will only be $10.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People don’t have to enroll and do anything different; they don’t have to keep track of some paper coupon or some other card,” said Eli Zigas, executive director of Fullwell: the Bay Area nonprofit advocacy organization partnering with the state to administer the program this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s all built into the EBT card at the participating locations,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while you can get these instant rebates for up to $60 worth of produce each month, remember: You don’t have to “spend” that $60 up in one transaction. Your EBT will automatically keep track of your produce purchases and just stop issuing the instant rebates once you’ve hit that $60 cap for the month.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does the amount of produce I can buy using the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program depend on how much I’m receiving in CalFresh benefits?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: Every CalFresh household can get up to $60 of free fresh fruits and vegetables with their EBT card, regardless of the amount of benefits they receive. It’s a flat amount for all SNAP users in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>My EBT balance is at $0 right now. Can I still use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: To get the instant rebate on money spent on fresh fruit and vegetables, you’ll first need to actually spend those funds using your EBT card — even though you’ll immediately get the money back onto that card.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you don’t have any money on your EBT card available, you’ll have to wait until your CalFresh funds are reloaded next month to be able to use the program again. But remember that if your EBT funds are running low, you can still spend a smaller amount — or whatever’s available on your card — on fresh fruit and vegetables and receive the money back instantly, until you’ve maxed out that $60-per-month cap.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is there a deadline to use the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The $36 million approved in the most recent state budget by the California legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program “is three and a half times more money than this program has ever had previously for an annual cycle,” Zigas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In previous years, Lee said, the funding would last for different periods “because the program was so wildly successful and oversubscribed that it would run out for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11104718\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11104718 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/09/11104717-thumb-e1764880797557.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1350\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">CalFresh (SNAP) recipients have automatic access to the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program at participating stores. \u003ccite>(Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So what about 2026? “We estimate, based on previous usage, that the program will have funds to run through the summer,” Zigas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after summer arrives, Zigas said, “it’s all going to depend on what the usage is, and whether there’s renewed funding.” So while you still have many months to try the program, you shouldn’t wait too long — not least because each month that passes will bring another $60 for you to spend on produce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062685/eating-for-survival-with-november-snap-delays-how-will-bay-area-families-cope\">the SNAP delays caused by the government shutdown\u003c/a>, “I think people have seen recently more than ever before how important CalFresh is and how much people are struggling to put food on the table,” Zigas said. “We would love to see this program not only operate continuously all year long without interruption, but also expand — because it’s a limited number of grocery stores right now offering this program, and it could be so much bigger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program the same as Market Match, and can I use both?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://marketmatch.org/\">Market Match\u003c/a> is a statewide program that distributes funds to farmers’ markets across California, allowing people using CalFresh to “match” an amount of their choosing from their EBT card at the market with tokens to spend at that location — essentially doubling their funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial/video/7244672340460637482\" data-video-id=\"7244672340460637482\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@kqedofficial\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@kqedofficial\u003c/a> If you use CalFresh, otherwise known as food stamps, you could be getting extra money to spend at your local farmer’s market. It’s called Market Match, and here’s a step-by-step guide for when you use your EBT card there. \u003ca title=\"calfresh\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/calfresh?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#CalFresh\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"foodstamps\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foodstamps?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#FoodStamps\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"ebt\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/ebt?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#EBT\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"farmersmarket\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/farmersmarket?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#FarmersMarket\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ original sound - kqed\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7244672377030757162?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ original sound – kqed\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Market Match is a separate state program from the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program, but people on CalFresh can use both programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://marketmatch.org/\">Learn more about the Market Match program\u003c/a>, and watch KQED’s video on how to use your EBT card at your local market.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program focus on fresh produce specifically?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The program’s focus on fresh fruit and vegetables “is recognizing that CalFresh benefits, as good as they are, are often insufficient for people to afford the food that they want for their families,” Zigas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is especially true of fresh fruits and vegetables, he said, “which are harder to justify buying when you have less income because they’re not shelf stable, and you don’t know if your kids are necessarily going to like them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People would like to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and often just don’t feel like they can make that choice — or afford it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"masters-of-scale": {
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},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"morning-edition": {
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"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
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"onourwatch": {
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"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"order": 11
},
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"on-the-media": {
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"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
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},
"pbs-newshour": {
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"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
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},
"perspectives": {
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"order": 14
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"planet-money": {
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
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"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
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},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 5
},
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"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
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},
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