CalFresh

Students need to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Working and earning wages for a minimum of 20 hours each week, or accumulating an average of 80 hours of work per month.
• Granted approval, recognition, or acceptance for a federal or state work-study program.
• Receiving Cal Grant A or B, under the age of 26, not married, and earning an income of less than $50,000.
• EOP, TGS, or McNair Scholar student.
• You must be a parent who has a dependent in the household who is either under 6 years old, or between the ages of 6 and 12 and does not have sufficient childcare.
• You must be a single parent with a dependent in the household who is under 12 years old, and you must also be enrolled as a full-time student.
• Participating in the CalFresh Employment and Training Program (CFET) or be a recipient of CalWORKs (TANF).
• You must be a student who is part of a Local Program that Enhances Employability (LPIE). Please refer to the CalFresh Student Eligibility: List of Approved LPIEs.

Eligibility Exemption: Students who participate in Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE) are exempt from the CalFresh student eligibility rule. Refer to "CalFresh Student Eligibility: List of Approved LPIEs" on the CalFresh Policy page.

Full eligibility details on the SNAP site.

Step 1: Contact your CalFresh Food Program and take the application prescreen. If you are not sure how to contact your program, contact our CalFresh Food Coordinator at calfresh@shorinji-kempo.net.

Step 2: If you think you may be eligible, complete and submit an application with your CalFresh Food Program. We encourage you to apply online with the help of your CalFresh Food Program because they are familiar with the questions and will likely get you through the application process faster.

Make an Appointment

Step 3: Once the application is received by the county, your 30-day application period begins.

Step 4: Complete your INTERVIEW with the county office by phone or in person (The county office will either call or mail you a date and time for your interview)

The purpose of the interview is for you to speak with a CalFresh representative and gain additional knowledge about the CalFresh program. Additionally, the county worker will verify your eligibilities for CalFresh and request additional documentation if necessary.

Preparing for Interview
Once you submit a CalFresh application and provide the necessary documents, your county will call you for an interview. Interviews are held Monday - Friday, 8AM - 5PM. Student can expect a phone call from their county within the 30-day application period. The county may call for an unknown or blocked phone number.

• Track your application progress here
BenefitsCal Site

If you do not receive a phone interview within 2 weeks, you should check with the county by calling their main line at (866) 613-3777. Interviews will always be completed by phone unless the student requests otherwise.

Step 5: In order to keep your CalFresh benefits, you will be required to do the following:

• Complete a Semiannual Report, also known as a SAR 7 Eligibility Report, six months after your initial application has been approved. The county will notify you when this report is due.
• Complete a Recertification Application and participate in an interview before the end of your certification period. The county will inform you when your Recertification Application is due and will send you a letter confirming the time and date of your interview. Please note that most interviews will be conducted over the phone.

Market Match is California’s healthy food incentive program that matches customers’ CalFresh nutrition assistance benefits at farmers’ markets and other farm-direct sites. Market Match is distributed by over 60 community-based organizations and farmers’ market operators at over 250 sites across the state.

How it Works

1. Find the farmers’ market or other farm-direct outlet nearest you that offers Market Match.
   You can use the Farmers’ Market Finder map to search for farmers’ markets and farm-direct outlets near you that accept CalFresh EBT and offer Market Match.
2. Use your CalFresh EBT card.
   Go to the market’s information booth and a market staff member will swipe your CalFresh EBT card for the amount of your choice and you will receive tokens or paper vouchers to spend on any CalFresh-eligible food items at the market. At other farm-direct outlets such as farm stands, CSAs, and mobile markets, you can make a CalFresh purchase just as you would at the grocery store, without tokens or vouchers. Simply choose the items you would like to purchase, go to the checkout, and swipe your CalFresh EBT card.
3. Receive your Market Match tokens or vouchers.
   The market staff will match your CalFresh benefits, providing you with Market Match tokens or vouchers to spend on fruits and vegetables. At other farm-direct outlets, Market Match is usually offered as a 50% discount instead of as tokens/vouchers.
4. Spend!
   Spend the Market Match tokens or vouchers with any farmer in the market that sells fresh fruits, vegetables, fresh-cut herbs, or edible plant starts.

CalFresh is not considered income and does not affect your household’s financial aid or taxes.