CalFresh and Nutrition Assistance Resources

Aliados Health is a CalFresh Outreach Program Prime Contractor. We are committed to providing program education and enrollment assistance for nutrition assistance programs, including CalFresh and SUN Bucks. Certified Enrollment Counselors can talk with you about additional community resources available to all who need them like food banks.

Click on the any of the boxes below to learn more about each program.

Follow a manual added link

CalFresh

Nutrition assistance program for individuals, families, and seniors.

Follow a manual added link

SUN Bucks

Summer nutrition program for school-aged-children.

Follow a manual added link

Food Banks

Food resources in your community.

CalFresh

What is CalFresh? ¹

CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a nutrition assistance program that helps low-income families purchase the food they need to maintain adequate nutrition. Through monthly benefits distributed via an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, households can purchase food at most grocery stores and participating farmer’s markets.

What can I Purchase with CalFresh? ⁴

  • Unprepared foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, and other grocery items
  • Fresh produce at local Farmers’ Market
  • Seeds and plants
  • Some individuals may qualify for hot and prepared meals

*To learn more about the Restaurant Meals Program, please visit: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/rmp

Eligibility for CalFresh assistance is based on⁸ :

  • Household size
  • Gross monthly income
  • Who is cooking and preparing meals together
  • Monthly expenses such as housing, utilities, and childcare

Who is eligible?⁵ :

  • U.S. Citizens
  • Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)
  • Cuban Haitian entrants
  • U.S. born children may qualify to receive CalFresh Benefits, regardless of where the parents were born
  • Individuals with no children may also qualify

Market Match ⁶

Market Match is a program provided by several community based organizations and Farmer’s Markets across California. The goal is to incentivize Californians who purchase food with CalFresh benefits to purchase healthy organic produce by matching their CalFresh dollars at participating Farmer’s Markets.

CalFresh Disaster Benefits ²

During a natural disaster, CalFresh can provide additional benefits to current CalFresh beneficiaries; and disaster benefits to those who may not otherwise qualify for standard CalFresh. Assistance is provided through food replacement, additional allotment amounts, and more.

To learn more about CalFresh disaster benefit guidelines and the process for obtaining disaster benefits, please visit: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh/disaster-calfresh.

** After an active disaster, you can return to this page. Aliados Health will work to provide food security-related resources and updates during the recovery phase of the disaster.**

SUN Bucks Program

What is SUN Bucks? ⁷

  • Summer nutrition program
  • Provides families $120 per eligible child to purchase food
  • Benefits are distributed during the 3-month summer break (June, July, and August)

Who is Eligible for SUN Bucks? ³

  • School-aged children who receive free or reduced lunch should be automatically enrolled in the program and will receive an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card in the name of the child
  • Children enrolled in benefit programs like Medi-Cal or CalFresh may also be automatically enrolled to receive these benefits during the summer

* To learn more about this program and eligibility, please visit: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks

Food Banks/Pantries

Food Banks in Your Area

**For additional county food banks please visit:https://www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members/

How to Access Food?

  • The food banks listed above each have several nutrition programs for specific populations, such as school-aged children, older adults, or college students. Visit the webpage for a food bank in your area to learn more.
  • Each food bank has a pantry locator tool to help you find the nearest pantry and its distribution hours where you can access free groceries or meals. Click on a food bank above to learn more.

Forms and Documents

Funded by USDA SNAP, an equal opportunity provider.

1. CalFresh 2. Disaster CalFresh 3. Eligibility 4. Eligible Food 5. Immigration Eligibility 6. Market Match 7. SUNBucks 8.  Who is eligible?