Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

CalFresh is California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides assistance for households to purchase nutritious food. The program uses Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) to allow recipients to buy food (including seeds and seedlings to grow food) at retail stores and farmers markets using a plastic debit card. Visit the Official California CalFresh Site.

• Your household’s monthly gross income (income before deductions) is less than $150 and your cash on hand or in checking or savings accounts is $100 or less or
• Your household’s housing costs (rent/mortgage and utilities) are more than your monthly gross income and cash on hand or in checking or savings accounts or
• You are a migrant or seasonal farmworker household with less than $100 in checking or savings and 1) your income stopped, or 2) your income has started but you do not expect to get more than $25 in the next 10 days or
• You are a resident of a domestic violence shelter or are on the waiting list for a domestic violence shelter

Emergency Food Resources – click here for a list of emergency food resources.

If the County decides that you do not meet the expedited services criteria and you disagree, you can ask for request a face-to-face meeting with an eligibility supervisor to talk about whether your household meets expedited services criteria. We will schedule the meeting within two working days unless you need a later appointment or we cannot contact you to schedule the meeting. If we can’t reach you, we will keep processing your application.

CalFresh looks at gross income (before taxes), program deductions, and certain household expenses. An eligibility specialist will talk to you about your income and help you identify allowable expenses.

CalFresh Income Eligibility Standards for Federal Fiscal Year 2023
Effective October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023

No. Many recipients of CalFresh are employed, elderly or disabled who need assistance purchasing nutritional food.

The county will process your application as fast as it can. You may be eligible to receive CalFresh within 3 days if you meet the expedited services criteria. Otherwise, you will have benefits no later than 30 days from the date the office received your application.

A household qualifies for expedited service if it:

• Has less than $150 in monthly income and less than $100 in liquid resources (cash, savings, or checking); or
• Has housing costs that are more than its monthly income and liquid resources; or
• Is a migrant or seasonal farm worker who is destitute.

Households can use CalFresh to buy any food  or food product  for human consumption as well as seeds and plants for use in  home gardens to  produce food. Households cannot buy:

• Alcoholic  beverages and tobacco
• Lunch counter items or food to be eaten in the  store
• Vitamins and  medicines
• Pet food
• Any non-food  items such as soaps, paper  products, and household supplies.

Yes

Most resources including cars, cash, and bank accounts are not counted in the CalFresh Program. An eligibility worker can answer any other question you have.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)  guidelines permit immigrants and their children to use certain non-cash benefits and special purpose cash benefits without affecting their immigration status including:

• Medi-Cal (Unless you use these services to pay for long-term care i.e. long-term nursing home care)
• CalFresh
• Healthy Families
• Emergency Medical Assistance
• WIC (Women, Infants and Children)
• Job Training Programs
• Foster Care and Adoption Assistance
• Non-Cash benefits funded under CalWORKs
• Emergency Disaster Relief
• Testing & Treatment of Communicable  Diseases
• One time emergency payments under CalWORKs
• Prenatal Care
• County Health Programs
• Immunizations
• Nutrition Programs
• Housing Assistance
• Energy Assistance
• Educational Assistance
• Child Care Services
• Transportation Vouchers

Some of the above programs may provide cash benefits. The  purpose of such benefits is not  for income maintenance but rather to avoid the  need for on-going cash  assistance for income maintenance; therefore, they are  not subject to public  charge consideration. Important  Notice to Immigrants

The Application Process

Step 1: Complete and turn in an application. You can apply online at BenefitsCal.com, mail it, fax it or drop it off in person at any office.

Mailing address for all offices: 

Self Sufficiency Services
2751 Napa Valley Corporate Drive
Napa CA 94558 

Physical Locations:

• Napa – 2751 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Building A
• Napa (Comprehensive Services for Older Adults) – 650 Imperial Way
• American Canyon - 4381 Broadway, Suites 100 and 101
• Calistoga - 1705 Washington Street

Step 2: Have an interview (usually on the phone but it can be in person if you want).

Step 3: Turn in any proof we need. You can upload it to BenefitsCal, mail it, fax it, or drop it off in person at any office (see Step 1 for addresses).

Step 4: The Eligibility Specialist sees if you are eligible for benefits. If you are, benefits are added to your EBT card. You can get a new card in the office or by mail if you need one.

Once you are receiving CalFresh, you have to report substantial winnings within 10 calendar days of receiving the winnings. This mid-period reporting requirement is in addition to existing mid-period reporting requirements. Your household will lose CalFresh benefits if the winnings are considered substantial.  You can reapply any time after being discontinued.

Substantial lottery winnings are a cash prize won in a single game, purchase of a ticket, hand, or similar bet, which is at least $3,750 before taxes or other withholding.