Important Information for New Applicants and Current CalFresh Customers!
If you submitted a CalFresh application between 3/27/20 through 8/31/20 or have a CalFresh recertification due in June, July, or August:
An interview is not required when:
Important Information for Existing CalFresh Customers:
¡Más Fresco! is a partnership between the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Center for Community Health, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Northgate Gonzalez Market.
The program provides financial incentives to CalFresh recipients when they purchase fresh fruits and vegetables using their EBT card at participating Northgate Markets in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties.
¡Más Fresco! is now available to CalFresh recipients via online enrollment. CalFresh recipients who enroll will earn $1 for every $1 of CalFresh benefits spent on qualifying fresh fruits or vegetables with a maximum financial incentive of $40 a month for 1 year.
The following LA County locations of Northgate Market are participating in this program:
Northgate Gonzalez Market hopes to make this program available in all 41 of their locations across Southern California by the end of 2020.
CalFresh benefits can now be used to purchase groceries online!
Get help buying food while schools are closed!
Families can receive up to $365 per child to spend on groceries in addition to pick up meals from school through a new program called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT.
Visit the state of California's Pandemic EBT website for more information!
Read below for some basic questions regarding P-EBT that you may have.
How will families get their P-EBT benefits?
Most families with children who receive CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or Foster care benefits do not need to apply. The P-EBT card is mailed to the families between May 7-22, 2020.
Families with children who are eligible for FRP and do not get CalFresh or Medi-Cal benefits and did not get their P-EBT card in the mail by May 22, 2020 must apply online before June 30, 2020.
Where can families apply?
Applications are available online at www.ca.p-ebt.org. Applications must be submitted before June 30, 2020.
I have not received my P-EBT card. What should I do?
Call California’s EBT customer service center at (877) 328-9677. You can reach them 24hours a day, 7 days a week.
What if I am homeless? Where will my P-EBT card be mailed?
If you are receiving CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or Foster Care benefits, the P-EBT card will be mailed to the address on record through your CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or Foster Care case or California Department of Education records. To update your address, call the EBT customer service center at (877) 328-9677.
Where can I go for help with P-EBT?
To learn more about P-EBT, you can visit P-EBT online at http://ca.p-ebt.org/info or www.cdss.ca.gov/pandemic-ebt or call California’s EBT customer service center at (877) 328-9677.
There has been a substantial increase in fraudulent Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions out of state January 2020 and February 2020. The majority of stolen benefits are being withdrawn from automated teller machines (ATMs) in Florida, Georgia, and New Jersey.
In order to protect our clients, California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has blocked EBT ATM withdrawals in impacted areas of Florida, Georgia, and New Jersey as of March 10, 2020. Cardholders attempting to withdraw cash at an ATM in those states will receive a general message stating their transaction is declined. Specific messaging varies between ATM owners. Transactions at Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) authorized retailers are still fully functional.
Cardholders travel to Florida, Georgia, or New Jersey, what do you need to do?
If you travel to Florida, Georgia, or New Jersey and need to withdraw cash using your EBT card at an ATM, you must call the EBT Customer Service Help Line at (877) 328-9677 and request an exception for ATM access in that state.
