Assemblymember Alex Lee Secures $36 Million to Revive CalFresh program

Millions of Californians are struggling with food insecurity. Amid sky-high costs of living, families are finding it increasingly difficult to afford their groceries. The hunger crisis will only get worse as the federal government is gutting essential services for working families and low-income people. Now, Assemblymember Alex Lee is reinforcing his commitment to reducing hunger with a historic investment of $36 million to revive a CalFresh program. Through the new state funding secured by the Assemblymember, the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program will once again be able to serve tens of thousands of Californians statewide. 

To date, the $36 million is the largest single investment in the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program, allowing operations to resume for an estimate of 8 to 10 months. The program first launched in 2023, providing up to $60/month in extra food benefits to CalFresh recipients. For every $1 of CalFresh benefits spent on any fresh fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer, CalFresh recipients get $1 back on their EBT card to spend on any CalFresh-eligible food (the restart date for the program will be announced by the California Department of Social Services soon). 

“The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is a lifeline for those living paycheck to paycheck,” said Assemblymember Lee, Chair of the Human Services Committee. “With the Republican-led Congress making catastrophic cuts to our social safety nets, now is the time to double down on our efforts to fight poverty and food insecurity. By investing in the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program, we are taking an important step to ensuring that low-income Californians can afford fresh and healthy meals.”

It’s now more important than ever to bolster support for food assistance programs like the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program. The GOP megabill makes deep cuts to food and nutrition funding. Reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as CalFresh in California) is estimated to eliminate an equivalent of nearly 6 to 9 billion meals annually. As people lose their food benefits completely or receive less than they do now, an increasing number of families are expected to rely on food banks. But food banks are already stretched thin, and as food prices continue to rise, more and more people will become food insecure. 

During these urgent times, the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program will be a crucial supplement for families. As a scalable and effective solution to reducing food insecurity, the program has served as a model for initiatives from coast to coast, including Colorado, Rhode Island and Washington. The program’s pilot phase ran from February 2023 to April 2024 with over 90 participating retailers statewide. Assemblymember Lee then secured an additional $10 million in funding to restart the program for a limited time, starting in the holiday season last year and continuing through the end of January 2025. The vast majority of participants hope to see the program expand. More than 90,000 CalFresh families have earned a combined total of over $10.5 million in rebates since the program first launched. 

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(Graphic by Fullwell)

“With 20 percent of California families, including children, the elderly, and the infirmed, experiencing food insecurity, with little to no food on a daily basis, as reported by the California Food Bank Association, expanding access to healthy food is not just policy, it’s a moral obligation,” said Senator Laura Richardson. “As grocery prices rise and many households are forced to rely on inexpensive, highly processed foods that lack essential nutrients, this CalFresh initiative will make fresh, nutritious produce more accessible for millions of Californians.” 

"As Californians continue to struggle to put food on the table, we are deeply grateful that the Legislature and Governor have reinvested in the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program," said Eli Zigas, the Executive Director of Fullwell. "The $36 million in the budget will make healthy food more affordable for tens of thousands of families up and down the state through an effective, efficient, and popular program. At a time of great financial uncertainty, this is an important example of California's leaders — including the program's legislative champions Assemblymember Lee, Senator Wiener, and Senator Richardson — making day-to-day life more affordable for low-income Californians, strengthening our safety net, and supporting California's agricultural economy."

“We applaud Governor Newsom, the Legislature, our champions Assemblymember Lee and Senator Richardson, and all the lawmakers who prioritized the health and well-being of low-income Californians by investing $36 million in the state budget to relaunch the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program,” said Betzabel Estudillo, Chief Engagement Officer at Nourish California. “This investment will help reduce hunger, improve health, and strengthen communities across our state. This is a powerful and meaningful win for families, children and all of California.”