For Applicants - How long does it take to receive CalFresh Benefits

Every application for CalFresh is reviewed for Expedited Service. Expedited Service will provide eligible households CalFresh Benefits by the third calendar day following their application date. A weekend (Saturday and Sunday) is considered one calendar day. You can qualify for Expedited Services if you meet all other CalFresh requirements and: Your household has less than $150 gross monthly income and liquid resources are $100 or less ; OR Your household’s combined gross monthly income and liquid resources are less than your shelter and utility costs; OR There is a migrant or seasonal farmworker in your household and your liquid resources are $100 or less Applications that don’t qualify for Expedited Service will be reviewed within 30 days.

Current recipients - Do you need help?

If you are currently receiving CalFresh benefits, please call our service center at (866) 663-3225 for assistance. You will be able to talk to a courteous and professional representative who can take care of your CalFresh needs. The service center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Anyone who answers the toll free line will help you immediately with things such as: Reporting CalFresh changes (such as a new address, income, newborn, etc.) Questions about your benefits Assistance with completing forms Having your CalFresh Case Number or Social Security Number available will help the representative serve you more quickly. More information about the service center including how to report changes, sending an email to your worker and uploading documents can be found on the Medi-Cal/CalFresh Service Center Page .

Important Informational Videos For Current Recipients

Current Recipients, please watch the following important informational videos about mandatory mid-period reporting for CalFresh English Spanish

CalFresh Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Time Limit

The State of California has been granted a Statewide Waiver to the ABAWD time limit through January 31, 2026. CalFresh recipients will still need to be screened and identified as a potential ABAWD if not exempt, however there will be no time limits imposed during the waiver period.

Ways to Apply Online: Apply on BenefitsCal Phone: Call us at (866) 663-3225 Download a Application: ENG ESP If you are at least 60 years old or disabled, you can use the simplified application: ENG | ESP Submit your application in one of the following ways: Fax: (925) 228-0310 Mail: Employment & Human Services, Contra Costa County, P.O. Box 4114, Concord, CA 94524-9700 In person: at any district office location All office hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday- Friday. Drop boxes are also located outside our district office locations for your convenience Application requirements The three minimum requirements to start your CalFresh application: Applicant's name Household’s address (unless homeless) Signature of head of household, any adult household member or an authorized representative, or responsible minor

Can single people living alone receive CalFresh?

Yes. Being married and/or having children are not requirements.

Can you receive aid from other programs and receive CalFresh?

Yes. In California, 60 percent of the CalFresh households also receive cash aid from other public assistance programs. There is a restriction that a household cannot participate simultaneously in the CalFresh Program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program.

Can SSI/SSP recipients get CalFresh?

As of June 1st, 2019, SSI/SSP recipients may be eligible to receive CalFresh in addition to receiving a monthly SSP benefit.

Can a homeless person receive CalFresh?

Yes. A person must reside in the county in which an application is filed. Residence in a permanent dwelling or a fixed mailing address is not required.

Where can you use your CalFresh benefits?

Stores post signs if your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card can be used to spend your CalFresh benefits there. Here are some types of places you can use your EBT card at: Retail stores – To find a store that accepts EBT cards visit: CalFresh Food Retail Locator . Online shopping – To find a store that accepts EBT cards online visit: CA EBT Online Farmers’ Markets – You can use your EBT card at many Farmers’ Markets to buy delicious locally grown produce. Many markets take part in the Market Match program, which doubles your money to give you free produce every time you shop, up to $15 free per day. For more program information and locations visit: FMFinder.org . Restaurants - If your entire household age 60 or older, disabled, or is experiencing homelessness you may use your CalFresh benefits to purchase hot and/or prepared food at participating restaurants through the Restaurant Meals Program. If eligible, you will receive a notice of approval for this program. To find restaurants that accept EBT cards visit and filter by Restaurant: CalFresh Food Retail Locator .

I received a letter or phone call from CalFresh Quality Control, what is this?

CalFresh Quality Control (QC) is a process required by federal law that reviews CalFresh cases to ensure that you are receiving the correct amount of CalFresh food benefits. If your case is randomly picked for a QC review, this is normal and doesn't mean you did anything wrong. You must cooperate with this review or your benefits may stop. Here is how a CalFresh QC review works: 1 You Will Receive Letters and Forms You will receive several forms in the mail. These may include: QC Appointment Letter QC Introduction Letter Authorization to Release Information Form Household Composition Form Living Arrangement Form 2 Check Your Appointment Time Your QC Appointment Letter will tell you the date and time of your interview. If you are unable to attend, please contact our office as soon as possible to reschedule. 3 Be Ready for Your Interview At your interview, we’ll talk about a few things, like: Who you are (your name, birthday, and Social Security number) Where you live How much money you make and spend What you own, like a car or bank account

CalFresh

Contact CalFresh

Apply for CalFresh

CalFresh FAQs

What is CalFresh?

CalFresh is a program that helps people buy food. It used to be called Food Stamps. The program gives you benefits each month on a special card, kind of like a debit card. You can use this card to buy food such as bread, cereal, fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish at many grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

CalFresh helps people and families stay healthy by making sure they have enough good food to eat.

The program is run by the U.S. government through the Department of Agriculture's Food Nutrition Service. In California, the state supervises the program, and each county operates it.

Did You Know?

CalFresh Food benefits can be used to buy groceries online from select retailers.

You can use your CalFresh EBT card at your local farmers’ market and get more fruits and vegetables with Market Match!
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Alerts

Important Warning for EBT Cardholders

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) found a fake app in the Apple App Store called “Ebt edge – food stamps.” This app looks like the real EBT app but is not. It asks people to pay $4.99 every week or $60 for lifetime use.

Do not download or use this app.
California will never charge you to use the real EBT app. The official app is called FIS ebtEDGE and it is free.

To keep your benefits and personal information safe, only use the official app supported by the state.

Every application for CalFresh is reviewed for Expedited Service. Expedited Service will provide eligible households CalFresh Benefits by the third calendar day following their application date. A weekend (Saturday and Sunday) is considered one calendar day.

You can qualify for Expedited Services if you meet all other CalFresh requirements and:

Your household has less than $150 gross monthly income and liquid resources are $100 or less; OR
Your household’s combined gross monthly income and liquid resources are less than your shelter and utility costs; OR
There is a migrant or seasonal farmworker in your household and your liquid resources are $100 or less

Applications that don’t qualify for Expedited Service will be reviewed within 30 days.

If you are currently receiving CalFresh benefits, please call our service center at for assistance. You will be able to talk to a courteous and professional representative who can take care of your CalFresh needs. The service center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Anyone who answers the toll free line will help you immediately with things such as:

Reporting CalFresh changes (such as a new address, income, newborn, etc.)
Questions about your benefits
Assistance with completing forms

Having your CalFresh Case Number or Social Security Number available will help the representative serve you more quickly. More information about the service center including how to report changes, sending an email to your worker and uploading documents can be found on the .

CalFresh FAQs

Ways to Apply

Online: Apply on BenefitsCal

Phone: Call us at (866) 663-3225

Download a Application: ENG ESP
If you are at least 60 years old or disabled, you can use the simplified application: ENG | ESP

Submit your application in one of the following ways:
- Fax: (925) 228-0310
- Mail: Employment & Human Services, Contra Costa County, P.O. Box 4114, Concord, CA 94524-9700
- In person: at any district office location
  All office hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday- Friday. Drop boxes are also located outside our district office locations for your convenience

Application requirements

The three minimum requirements to start your CalFresh application:

Applicant's name
Household’s address (unless homeless)
Signature of head of household, any adult household member or an authorized representative, or responsible minor

Your CalFresh allotment depends on the size of your household. Starting October 1, 2025, the maximum allotment for one person is $298 per month. The maximum allotment for a four person family is $994. The chart below is effective 10/1/2025 for the Thrifty Food Plan maximum allotment amounts based on household size.

Household Size	Thrifty Food Plan
1	$298
2	$546
3	$785
4	$994
5	$1,183
6	$1,421
7	$1,571
8	$1,798
Each additional member	+$218

As of February 1, 2011 your resources (bank accounts, cash on hand, etc.) are not considered in the eligibility determination. The resources of a household are only looked at when screening for emergency appointments and/or when a household exceeds the gross income limit for their household size. Resource limits are $3,000 or $4,500 if the household has an elderly and/or disabled member. Household gross monthly income (prior to deductions) cannot exceed 200 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines. For a household of three, this is $4,442. A household’s net monthly income cannot exceed 100 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines. For a household of three, this is $2,221.

CalFresh can be used to buy any food or food product that is produced for human consumption. The exception to this is hot foods or lunch counter items prepared or heated in the store. CalFresh benefits cannot be used to buy non-food items like soap, toilet paper or shampoo. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, vitamins or medicines, and pet food are also excluded. You can, however, use your CalFresh benefits to purchase seeds and plants for use in home gardens to produce food.

Stores post signs if your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card can be used to spend your CalFresh benefits there. Here are some types of places you can use your EBT card at:

Retail stores – To find a store that accepts EBT cards visit: CalFresh Food Retail Locator.
Online shopping – To find a store that accepts EBT cards online visit: CA EBT Online
Farmers’ Markets – You can use your EBT card at many Farmers’ Markets to buy delicious locally grown produce. Many markets take part in the Market Match program, which doubles your money to give you free produce every time you shop, up to $15 free per day. For more program information and locations visit:FMFinder.org.
Restaurants - If your entire household age 60 or older, disabled, or is experiencing homelessness you may use your CalFresh benefits to purchase hot and/or prepared food at participating restaurants through the Restaurant Meals Program. If eligible, you will receive a notice of approval for this program. To find restaurants that accept EBT cards visit and filter by Restaurant: CalFresh Food Retail Locator.

CalFresh Quality Control (QC) is a process required by federal law that reviews CalFresh cases to ensure that you are receiving the correct amount of CalFresh food benefits. If your case is randomly picked for a QC review, this is normal and doesn't mean you did anything wrong. You must cooperate with this review or your benefits may stop.

Here is how a CalFresh QC review works:

1

You Will Receive Letters and Forms

You will receive several forms in the mail. These may include:

QC Appointment Letter
QC Introduction Letter
Authorization to Release Information Form
Household Composition Form
Living Arrangement Form

2

Check Your Appointment Time

Your QC Appointment Letter will tell you the date and time of your interview. If you are unable to attend, please contact our office as soon as possible to reschedule.

3