During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress authorized temporary increases to CalFresh benefits to help meet food needs. These temporary increases were called "Emergency Allotments," and were issued each month on a separate date from the regular CalFresh benefits that each household received between the 1st and the 10th of the month. Since March 2020, all CalFresh households have received at least $95 in CalFresh Emergency Allotments per month, but these additional benefits will end soon.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 ends the issuance of CalFresh Emergency Allotments to households in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CalFresh Emergency Allotments will end the month of February 2023, and a final Emergency Allotment will be issued in March 2023.
All CalFresh households will be getting fewer benefits beginning in April 2023. The regular CalFresh benefit each household is eligible for is not changing, but households will no longer get the additional CalFresh Emergency Allotments. (Regular CalFresh benefits are issued onto EBT cards between the 1st and the 10th of the month - each household's regular benefit amount is based on their circumstances, including household size, income, and deductions.)
If you would like to report a change to your CalFresh circumstances or apply for CalFresh, visit benefitscal.com or call 530-265-1340. You can also call 211 or visit 211connectingpoint.org to get information on other local food resources that are available.
Because Emergency Allotment benefits have been eliminated under federal law, this decision cannot be changed by a fair hearing.