The CalFresh Program (formerly known as Food Stamps) improves people's nutrition in low-income households by increasing their food-buying power so that they can purchase sufficient food to meet their household's needs.
Please check here to find all the most up-to-date news and announcements regarding CalFresh benefits and the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program!
Restaurant Meals is a CalFresh Program that allows you to use your Golden State Advantage (EBT) card to purchase prepared meals from participating restaurants.
Beginning November 1, 2025, only households that include a member 60 years of age or older or who has a disability and doesn’t have heating or cooling utility expenses separate from their housing costs, will receive the Standard Utility Allowance or “SUA” deduction with the issuance of SUAS payment. Allowing the SUA deduction may increase a household’s monthly CalFresh benefits or make the HH eligible to benefits.
Currently, households that do not have heating and cooling costs separate from their housing costs and do not qualify for the SUA are provided with a State Utility Assistance Subsidy (an annual $20.01 energy assistance payment) that entitles them to claim the SUA. Under H.R. 1 this option is now limited to households with a member 60 years or older or with a disability.
If your household includes a member 60 years or older or with a disability, we will continue to issue this annual energy assistance payment automatically so that you can be allowed the SUA deduction.
Because of this change, households without a member 60 years or older or with a disability who previously received an annual energy assistance payment for this purpose may experience a reduction in their monthly CalFresh benefit. A smaller number of these households may lose CalFresh eligibility.
For new households, this change will take effect at application beginning November 1, 2025. For existing households, this change will take effect at your next renewal.
If you are eligible for CalFresh assistance, you will receive an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit card. You can use your EBT card to purchase food items at participating grocery stores, order grocery online for pick up or delivery at participating grocery stores, and participating Farmers' Markets.
Here are additional resources for further interest in the CalFresh program. There is an Outreach Toolkit to assist agencies in conducting the most effective CalFresh outreach possible, a list of community partners to assist the public with applying for CalFresh benefits, and more.
In addition to the CalFresh Program, there are additional nutrition assistance resources to help put food on your table!
