The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued information regarding emergency CalFresh allotments authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The emergency allotments will raise each household’s monthly allotment of CalFresh to the maximum allowable based on household size for March and April 2020. CalFresh households already receiving the maximum allotment will not receive an emergency allotment.
The March, 2020 emergency allotment will be available on April 12, 2020. The April emergency allotment will be available on May 10, 2020. The emergency allotments will be issued on the client’s existing electronic benefits transfer card.
Counties must employ mass change informing practices to inform of the emergency allotment, including text messaging, robocalling, social media, client-facing websites and pre-recorded calls on interactive voice response systems. (All County Welfare Directors Letter, April 2, 2020.)