Over 12,800 Disaster CalFresh applications related to the January flooding in San Diego County were approved, and $5.7 million was paid out to residents, the county said.
CalFresh is state program that provides financial assistance to residents in the low-income bracket, which allows them to purchase food items. According to a news release on Wednesday, the program application period was extended a week “to ensure those affected by the flooding could enroll.”
To qualify, households had to live or work in the disaster area, buy or plan to buy eligible food, and experience challenges caused by the flooding.
Severe rain on Jan. 21 and 22 caused flooding that damaged homes in San Diego neighborhoods such as Encanto, Mountain View and Southcrest, and unincorporated communities such as Spring Valley.
Disaster CalFresh followed President Joe Biden’s declaration of major disaster status for California, according to the county, which received federal government funding to help residents.
All Disaster CalFresh recipients may use their electronic benefit transfer card to purchase hot and prepared food until April 10, according to the county.
Minus a few exceptions, CalFresh EBT cards — used to distribute benefits –may only be used to buy shelf-stable foods, based on a temporary change by the Food and Nutrition Service.
FNS is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which allows changes based on conditions such as power outages, home damage, resident displacement, or other conditions that prevent people from purchasing and preparing food.
Officials said the FNS has informed county EBT retailers about the waiver, and encouraged them to post notices alerting customers.
According to the county, traditional CalFresh enrollment numbers “are also at a record high,” with more than 389,400 enrolled as of March 1, the highest in the county’s history.
This year’s number is a 4.4% increase over 2023, the county said.
Information on applying for CalFresh can be found at https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ssp/food_stamps.html.
A list of authorized retailers that accept EBT cards is at fns.usda.gov.
–City News Service