In the state of California, the food stamps benefit program, federally called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), goes by a different name: it is known as CalFresh Benefits.
As in the rest of the states and territories of the United States, CalFresh is intended for low-income families and beneficiaries to purchase nutritious foods, thus keeping them away from food risk.
It is distributed monthly through EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards, which works just like a debit card to make purchases at merchants accepted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There you can purchase all types of fresh and preserved or canned foodstuffs, accepted by this federal agency.
Who Is Eligible for CalFresh?
Eligibility for CalFresh is determined primarily by income level and household size. Some key factors include:
- Income: Household income must be below certain limits that vary depending on household size. Gross and net income are also considered, and certain expenses, such as housing and medical costs, may be deducted to determine eligibility.
- Residence: You must be a California resident to qualify for CalFresh.
- Citizenship: Generally, you must be a U.S. citizen or have qualified immigration status to be eligible. However, some noncitizens may qualify under certain conditions.
- Students: Low-income college students may be eligible, but there are specific rules that apply to this group.
- Elderly and disabled people: There is additional flexibility for people over 60 and people with disabilities, which may make your eligibility easier.
How Much Can I Receive From CalFresh This Month?
Our headline is not alarmist or anything like that: indeed, CalFresh benefits such as SNAP are about to change forever, since every year, at the end of the fiscal year, a change is made in the maximum amounts to be paid and of the income limits that beneficiaries may have to be considered eligible.
This change is called cost of living adjustment (COLA), and applies the same for SNAP benefits as for Social Security benefits and allowances, and occurs from October 1 of each year, in the case of SNAP, and from October 1 of the following January, in the case of Social Security.
The maximum allocations for the lower 48 states and the District of Columbia, Alaska, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands increased. Meanwhile, the amount decreased for SNAP recipients in Hawaii from $1,794 to $1,759 for a family of four. For a family of four in the lower 48 states, the COLA means a benefit increase of $34 per month.
Below are the maximum allocations for SNAP in the lower 48 states and DC (October 2023 to September 2024), according to the USDA website:
- Household size 1: $291
- Household size 2: $535
- Household size 3: $766
- Household size 4: $973
- Household size 5: $1,155
- Household size 6: $1,386
- Household size 7: $1,532
- Household size 8: $1,751
- Each additional person: $219
The maximum income limits that a household can have to be considered eligible will also be in force until September 30, 2024, and are as follows:
- Household size 1: $1,580
- Household size 2: $2,137
- Household size 3: $2,694
- Household size 4: $3,250
- Household size 5: $3,807
- Household size 6: $4,364
- Household size 7: $4,921
- Household size 8: $5,478
- Each additional person: $557
