CalFresh, California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), delivers monthly financial assistance to eligible low-income citizens. By doing so, CalFresh enables them to purchase healthy food.
California citizens are looking forward to the distribution of their CalFresh payments. Knowing the precise timing and details of these payments is crucial for recipients to effectively plan their grocery shopping for the whole month of September.
Introducing SUN Bucks: A Lifeline for Summer Nutrition
SUN Bucks is the result of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, passed by Congress in December 2022. This program is set to make a significant difference in the lives of many children who rely on school meals as their primary source of nutrition.
How SUN Bucks Works
The SUN Bucks program will provide $120 per child, which breaks down to $40 per month over the three-month summer period when schools are typically closed. This financial support is aimed at reducing food insecurity and ensuring that children have reliable access to nutritious meals during the summer break.
Eligibility and Enrollment
Children who meet any of the following criteria will be automatically enrolled in the SUN Bucks program:
- Eligible for free or reduced-price school meals through a school meal application
- Completed an alternative income form
- Enrolled in CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal
This automatic enrollment ensures that the most vulnerable children receive the support they need without any additional hurdles.
How are checks distributed to CalFresh recipients?
These benefits are distributed through an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, which functions like a debit card and can be used at participating grocery stores and farmers’ markets.
The day when benefits are loaded onto the EBT card is determined by the last digit of the recipient’s case number. Distribution occurs over the first ten days of each month. For example, if a recipient’s case number ends in ‘1,’ they will receive their benefits on the 1st of the month.
Here is a simple breakdown of the distribution schedule:
- Case number ends in ‘1’ – Benefits loaded on the 1st
- Case number ends in ‘2’ – Benefits loaded on the 2nd
- Case number ends in ‘3’ – Benefits loaded on the 3rd
- And so on, up to the 10th day of the month
By understanding this schedule, recipients can better plan their grocery shopping and ensure they make the most of their CalFresh benefits.
Governor Gavin Newsom has announced an impactful initiative designed to combat food insecurity among children in California. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is rolling out SUN Bucks, a federal food program dedicated to ensuring that children from low-income families receive adequate nutrition during the summer months.
