Food Benefits Available for Additional Wildfire Victims

Published:

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) today announced that individuals and families impacted by wildfires in Fresno, Madera, San Bernardino, San Diego, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Napa, Sonoma, and Shasta counties may be eligible to receive Disaster CalFresh food benefits as part of continuing disaster recovery efforts.

A family of four with a monthly income up to $2,893 may be eligible to receive up to $646 in food benefits through this program, which is now available to those who lived or worked in one of the impacted counties between specified dates:

• Creek Fire in Fresno/Madera: 9/4/2020 – 10/3/2020
• El Dorado Fire in San Bernardino: 9/5/2020 – 10/4/2020
• Valley Fire in San Diego: 9/5/2020 – 10/4/2020
• Bobcat Fire in Los Angeles: 9/6/2020 – 10/5/2020
• Oak Fire in Mendocino: 9/7/2020 – 10/6/2020
• Slater Fire in Siskiyou: 9/8/2020 – 10/7/2020
• Glass Fire in Napa/Sonoma: 9/27/2020 – 10/26/2020
• Zogg Fire in Shasta: 9/27/2020 – 10/26/2020

On October 23, 2020, CDSS announced that Disaster CalFresh is available for wildfire victims who lived or worked in Santa Clara County. Disaster CalFresh was also previously available for wildfire victims who lived or worked in Butte, Napa, and Sonoma counties and Lake, Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Yolo counties.

Those who received regular CalFresh food benefits during the impacted dates will not be eligible for Disaster CalFresh.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, the Disaster CalFresh program will be operated, for the first time, primarily by phone.

WHO CAN APPLY?
Individuals and families who lived or worked in the impacted counties during the specified dates may be eligible for Disaster CalFresh food benefits if the household experienced at least one of the following as a direct result of the wildfires:

• At least one person in the household was not getting regular CalFresh food benefits
• Money was spent because of the wildfires or related power outage
• Money was lost from work because of the wildfires; or
• Money was spent because of damage to a home or business.

HOW TO APPLY
Households may apply between November 16-20, 2020, by calling the phone number associated with their county, submitting an online application or submitting a paper application.
• Fresno: 1-855-832-8082
• Los Angeles: 1-877-597-4777
• Napa: 707-253-4511
• Madera: 559-675-2300
• Mendocino: 1-877-327-1677
• San Bernardino: 909-335-3334
• San Diego: 2-1-1*
• Shasta: 1-877-652-0731
• Siskiyou: 530-841-2700
• Sonoma 1-877-699-6868

*For San Diego County, simply dial 2-1-1 on your telephone and tell your operator you’re interested in applying for Disaster CalFresh food benefits.

Online applications will be accepted from November 16-20, 2020, at My Benefits Calwin for Fresno, San Diego, and Sonoma counties and at C4Yourself for Madera, Mendocino, Napa, San Bernardino, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties. Los Angeles County residents should call 1-877-597-4777 since online applications are not available for this county.

In most cases, Disaster CalFresh food benefits will be available within three days of the date of qualifying interview. Additional information is available at Disaster CalFresh.

Disaster CalFresh food benefits will be provided via an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which is like a debit card that can be used to purchase food items at grocery stores and other authorized retailers. If applicants are approved, their county will tell them when and where to pick up their EBT card.

On November 5, 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture approved California’s request for Disaster CalFresh food benefits to enhance recovery efforts in Fresno, Madera, San Bernardino, San Diego, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Napa, Sonoma, and Shasta counties. The program is known nationally as the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or D-SNAP.

QUESTIONS?
Call your local county social services office at the phone number listed above.

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