In 2019, people who get SSI can get more money every month for food! Read below for more information!

How will I get more money for food?

There is a program called CalFresh that people used to call Food Stamps.  Beginning June 1, 2019, people who receive SSI will be allowed to get CalFresh.

How does it work?

CalFresh gives you money every month to spend on food.  If you qualify, CalFresh will give you a special debit card called an EBT card with money loaded on to it.  You can use that EBT card to buy food.

Will my SSI money go down?

No!  If you get SSI and start getting CalFresh, your SSI should not change.  That means that with CalFresh, you will have money on an EBT card that you can use to buy food.  So, you can spend more of your SSI check on other important things like rent.

How much CalFresh money will I get?

It depends.  When you apply, the program staff will talk to you about how many people you live with and will decide how much CalFresh money you will get.  You may get over $100 per month for food!

What about my family?

If your family already gets CalFresh, the total CalFresh that you and your family get may go up or go down. You should talk to the program staff for more information.

What if my family’s benefits go down?

If your family is eligible for CalFresh before June 1, 2019, and your SSI money makes their benefits go down, your family will be evaluated for programs called Supplemental or Transitional Nutrition Benefits.  This is money for people who live with someone who gets SSI and who received CalFresh before the SSI recipient became eligible.  If the SSI recipient makes the benefits go down or go away, the counties will give the household extra money for food through Supplemental or Transitional Benefits Programs.

Supplemental and Transitional Nutrition Benefits are only for households that receive CalFresh before June 1, 2019, so if you think that people in your household may be eligible to receive CalFresh and do not yet, you may want them to apply for CalFresh before June 1, 2019 to make sure that they will be eligible for those programs.

How do I apply?

You can apply online, on the phone or in person!

To apply online, go to: https://www.getcalfresh.org/?source=cdss

Here is a website with the county offices on it:  http://www.cdss.ca.gov/County-Offices

The phone number is 1-877-847-3663

I get CAPI.  Does anything else change for me?

People who get CAPI (which stands for Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants) will also get an additional $10 per month for an individual and $20 for a CAPI couple.