Eligibility

If you are a California resident with low or no income, you may be eligible for CalFresh. This includes individuals in the following situations:

• Homeless individuals
• Students, in higher education, who meet eligibility requirements
• Individuals receiving SSI/SSP
• Most legal immigrants

A CalFresh household includes anyone living together who regularly purchases and prepares meals together. The CalFresh benefit amount is dependent on household size, income, and expenses. Most households must have a total gross monthly income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level, to be potentially eligible for CalFresh.

Household Size	Maximum Gross Income	Maximum Benefit Amount
1	$2,510	$292
2	$3,408	$536
3	$4,304	$768
4	$5,200	$975
5	$6,098	$1,158
6	$6,994	$1,390
7	$7,890	$1,536
8	$8,788	$1,756
Each Additional Member	+$898	+$220

(CalFresh benefit table effective 10/1/2024 - 9/30/2025)

Expedited Service CalFresh (ES)

Immediate food assistance may be available for certain eligible applicants. ES must be processed within three (3) calendar days of your CalFresh application date.

You may be eligible for ES if you meet one of the following requirements:

• Your household's monthly gross income (before taxes) is less than $150 and liquid resources are $100 or less.
• Your household's combined monthly gross income and liquid resources are less than the combined monthly rent / mortgage and utility expenses.
• You are a migrant or seasonal worker with $100 or less in liquid resources

All CalFresh applications are automatically screened for ES.

Elderly and/or Disabled Member Medical Expenses

Individuals who are elderly (60 years or older) or disabled and incur over $35.00 and up to $185.00 in verified medical expenses, are eligible for a standard medical deduction. For verified medical expenses over $185.00, individuals are eligible to deduct actual medical expenses.

Eligible medical expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Costs of medical and dental care, including co-payments.
• Prescribed medication and medical supplies.
• Medicare premiums or Medi-Cal Share of Cost (SOC).
• Transportation costs for medical treatment or services.

For a complete list of qualifying expenses, see our Medical Deductions Flyer.

Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)

Applicants who are ABAWD (Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents) are time limited to three full months of benefits unless the individual meets one of the following criteria:

• Satisfies the ABAWD work requirement (work or complete “work activities” for an average of 20 hours a week, or a total of 80 hours a month), or
• Lives in a county or area with an ABAWD time limit waiver, or
• Has an exemption from the ABAWD time limit.

Alameda County is under an ABAWD waiver and ABAWDs are not currently subject to the time limit.

 For more information on the ABAWD work requirement click here

CalFresh for Immigrants and Refugees

If you are an immigrant or refugee, you may be eligible to receive CalFresh if you:

• Have valid Legal Permanent Resident *(LPR) status, or
• Have refugee status, parolee, or asylum, or
• Have or are applying for a U-Visa or T-Visa, or
• Are a conditional entrant, or
• Have an Iraqi or Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), or
• Are a Cuban or Haitian entrant.

All children born in the United States (U.S.) can get CalFresh food benefits if they qualify, no matter where their parents were born or their parents’ immigration status. Information given to SSA is confidential and only used to determine eligibility for benefits.

For more information on immigration resources and public benefits, click here.

If you have any questions, visit an SSA office or call us at (510) 263-2420 or 1-888-999-4772 (toll free).

How to Apply

• Online

To apply for CalFresh and other programs online, please visit BenefitsCal.

We recommend you create an account so you can return to your information later on.

• By phone

To apply by phone, or to request a CalFresh Mail-In application to be mailed to you, please call (510) 272-3663.

• By mail

To apply for CalFresh by mail, you may mail your CalFresh application to P.O. Box 12941, Oakland, CA 94604.

You may click here for a printable CalFresh application (CF 285). Translated forms can be found here.

If everyone applying in your household is 60 years or older and/or disabled, and no one is receiving their income from work, you may use the CalFresh Elderly Simplified Application (CF 485) to apply instead. Click here for a printable Elderly Simplified Application. Translated forms can be found here.

If you are applying for CalFresh and other programs, such as Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, and/or Refugee Cash Assistance, use the SAWS 2 Plus form here.

• In person

To apply for CalFresh in person, you may visit one our Alameda County Social Services Agency offices. Our offices are open Monday through Friday between 08:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. with the exception of county holidays.

• By Fax

To apply for CalFresh by fax, you may fax your CalFresh application to (510) 670-5095.

Minimum Requirements to File an Application

Alameda County encourages all applicants to submit their application as completely as possible however, the minimum requirements to file an application for CalFresh are:

• Name
• Address
• Signature

Rescheduling an Interview Appointment

You can now request to reschedule your initial CalFresh and/or CalWORKs interview online here.

Using your Benefits

CalFresh benefits are deposited electronically onto an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The EBT card works the same as an ATM card and is accepted at most grocery stores and farmers markets. It may even be used in certain restaurants for recipients who are homeless, disabled, and/or seniors.

The following items CAN be purchased with CalFresh benefits;

• Fruits and vegetables.
• Meat, poultry and fish.
• Dairy products.
• Breads and cereals.
• Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat

The following items CANNOT be purchased with CalFresh benefits;

• Any non-food items, including pet food, soaps, paper products, household supplies,  grooming items, and cosmetics.
  
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
• Energy drinks, vitamins, and medicines.
• Prepared foods fit for immediate consumption.
• Hot foods.

Use the Store Locator to find out where you can use your EBT card

You can use your EBT card at most farmers’ markets. Find a participating farmers’ market at FMFinder.org.

Many farmers’ markets offer Market Match where for every CalFresh dollar spent, you can get an extra Market Match dollar to purchase fruits and vegetables. The maximum match level varies by market. At many markets, this means that for every $10 of CalFresh benefits spent, you can get an additional $10 worth of healthy food.

When you visit the farmers’ market make sure to find the market's information booth, or the market manager, and ask how to use your CalFresh EBT card and if the market provides Market Match.

You can check your EBT card balance by;

• Visiting the EBT website, or
• Calling 1-877-328-9677

If your card is stolen or lost, please call 1-877-328-9677 to report it and request a replacement card.

Click here for more information on the EBT card.

Protect yourself against scams, do not share your EBT card or PIN with others. We will never contact you to ask about these details so if you receive any phone calls, texts or emails asking for your information, DO NOT provide it to them. 

Keeping Your Benefits

To keep your CalFresh benefits, you will need to complete a semi-annual report, re-evaluation, and any mandatory mid-year reports.

Semi-Annual Reporting

You are required to submit a semi-annual report, which includes a SAR 7 Form with required verifications every 6 months to report changes in circumstances that could impact eligibility, such as changes in income, household composition, and/or expenses.

You can find out if your SAR 7 is due and submit it online here.

Additional options for ways you can submit your SAR 7 and/or any required verifications include:

• Mailing to any of the Alameda County Social Services Agency offices.
• Bringing in person to any of the Alameda County Social Services Agency offices.

Download Printable Blank SAR 7 Forms here:
(English, Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Farsi, Additional Languages)

Blank SAR 7 Forms are also available at Alameda County Social Services Agency offices.

You can find instructions on how to fill out the SAR 7 form here:
(English, Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Farsi, Additional Languages)

You can find a list of examples of the types of verifications that should be attached to the SAR 7 here:
(English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Farsi, Additional Languages)

Annual Re-evaluation

You are required to complete a recertification every year, which includes completing an interview with an eligibility worker and submitting the redetermination form and required verifications.

You can find out if your redetermination is due. request to reschedule your renewal interview appointment, and submit your re-evaluation online here.

Additional options for ways you can submit your re-evaluation and/or any required verifications include:

• Mailing to any of the Alameda County Social Services Agency offices.
• Bringing in person to any of the Alameda County Social Services Agency offices.

Download a Printable Blank CF 37 here:
(English, Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Farsi, Additional Languages)

If you have a CalWORKs and CalFresh renewal due, use the Form SAWS 2 Plus to complete your renewal for both programs.

Blank CF 37 and SAWS 2 Plus Forms are also available at Alameda County Social Services Agency offices.

Mid-Period Reporting Requirements

For CalFresh there are certain changes that need to be reported at any time during the year.

It is mandatory to report the following changes within 10 days:

• Income exceeds Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). Your IRT is detailed on the Form SAR 2A, which is mailed to you at initial approval and re-evaluation, or can be provided by an eligibility worker.
• Substantial lottery or gambling winnings totaling $4,500 or more from a single game, purchase of a ticket, hand or similar bet before taxes or other withholding.

Voluntary reports, such as a decrease in your monthly income or increase in rent expense, can be reported at any time.

To submit a mid-period report, you can submit Form SAR 3 online here, mail or bring the report to an Alameda County Social Services Agency office, or call the Customer Service Call Center to report the change at 510-263-2420 or 1-888-999-4772.