A guide to your options
Food & groceries
Start with how soon you need food and who is in your household. Emergency groceries, ongoing food benefits, and school meals have different application routes. These guides explain those routes without assuming you already receive assistance.
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Find your next step
15 guidesSNAP Recertification: What to Send and What If You Miss the Interview
File your SNAP recertification by the 15th of your last month, then do the interview. Missed it? Ask for another and finish within 30 days of your end date.
CalFresh Benefits Stolen From Your EBT Card? How to Get Them Back
California replaces skimmed or scammed CalFresh benefits, up to two months' worth twice a year. File form EBT 2259 with your county within 90 days.
SNAP Denied or Cut? Request a Fair Hearing and Keep Benefits
You have 90 days to ask for a SNAP fair hearing, by phone or in writing. Ask before the effective date on your notice to keep your benefits while you wait.
SNAP Authorized Representative: Apply, Interview and Report
Name a SNAP authorized representative for applications, interviews and reports. Document the tasks, submit permission, and confirm the agency's record.
Can You Use Food Stamps (EBT) in Another State?
Yes. SNAP EBT cards work at SNAP stores in every state. Why cards get declined out of state, how long you can stay away, and what to do if you move.
SNAP Food Loss Replacement After a Power Outage
Learn when to report SNAP food spoiled by a power outage, what to sign, how to document the loss, and where to request replacement benefits.
Can College Students Get SNAP? Rules and How to Apply
Check SNAP's college-student exemptions, work-study and meal-plan rules, and the records to prepare before applying through your state agency.
Expedited SNAP: Emergency Food Stamps Within 7 Days
Expedited SNAP puts benefits on your EBT card within 7 days if income is under $150 with $100 or less in cash, or rent and utilities top your income plus cash.
Free and Reduced-Price School Meals: How to Apply
Find your district's school-meal application, check direct certification and income rules, and learn what to do when household circumstances change.
Senior Meal Programs: Home Delivery and Community Meals
Find senior meal delivery or community meals through your local aging agency, and check eligibility, service availability, and dietary arrangements.
TEFAP Food Pantries: How to Find Emergency Groceries
Find emergency groceries through TEFAP and local food providers, understand intake rules, and check what to ask before visiting a distribution site.
SUN Bucks California 2026: Missing Card and Expiry Help
California SUN Bucks paid $120 per eligible child for 2026. Check missing cards, the 122-day spending limit, disputes, and applications after August 31.
CalFresh Income Limits 2026: Benefit Amounts and How to Apply
From October 2026, CalFresh takes gross income up to $2,660 a month for one person and $5,500 for four. See benefit amounts and how to apply.
California Benefits 2026: Food, Child Care and Bill Help
Working but struggling with food, child care or bills in California? Choose which benefits to check, their separate rules, and where to apply.
WIC California 2026: Who Qualifies, Benefits & How to Apply
California WIC covers pregnancy to age 5. A family of four qualifies at $5,088 a month, or at any income with Medi-Cal, CalFresh or CalWORKs. Apply today.