Cal Fresh Eligibility Changes Impacting Orange County

Orange County food banks are preparing for a surge in demand as changes to Cal Fresh eligibility criteria take effect. These changes stem from federal policy updates that now exclude certain non-citizens from receiving benefits.

New Restrictions on Non-Citizen Access

The Department of Public Social Services reports that asylees, refugees, parolees, individuals with deportation or removal withheld, conditional entrants, and victims of trafficking are now ineligible for Cal Fresh assistance. This shift is expected to drive more individuals to rely on local food banks for support.

Madelynn Hirneise, CEO of Families Forward, explained the anticipated impact: “The trickle-down effect is that more and more individuals will need services like Families Forward for the very first time. Maybe, they've been able to make it work with their Cal Fresh benefits, stretching their budget thin, and now that’s gone.”

Families Forward Sees Increased Need

Yesenia Jimenez, a single mother, shared how the Families Forward community market in Irvine helps her family. “It’s a really, really big help for me, and my family,” she stated, highlighting the crucial role of these resources.

Upcoming Employment Requirements to Further Strain Resources

An even larger impact is expected in June when new Cal Fresh employment requirements are implemented. Participants under 65 will be required to work at least 80 hours per month to maintain their benefits.

Potential Loss of Benefits for Thousands

Mark Lowry, CEO of OC Food Bank, estimates that between 40,000 and 52,000 Orange County residents could lose their Cal Fresh benefits in June due to these employment stipulations. He warned, “What it means is that we don’t have enough food for the food-insecure people today and we’re looking at upwards of 80,000 additional people who may longer be able to continue receiving the food from the government.”

Jimenez, who works as a custodian, emphasized the financial relief provided by the non-profit market. She shared her family’s past struggles, stating, “We’ve been homeless. We’ve been without food. So, we’d probably be going a little hungry.”