Health

Are You Eligible for Food Assistance?

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Many San Diego County residents are eligible for food assistance and might not know it, but the County of San Diego is aiming to change that as it continues a variety of increased outreach efforts.

May is CalFresh Awareness Month in California and the County Health and Human Services Agency and its community partners are hitting the streets and reaching out on social media in an effort to increase awareness with those who could benefit from extra help in eating nutritious food.

CalFresh, formerly known as the food stamp program, is California’s federal food assistance program that ensures individuals are able to meet their basic nutritional needs and helps them stretch their food dollars so they can buy more fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. The program is part of the County’s Live Well San Diego initiative.

CalFresh eligibility and outreach workers and HHSA community partners will be at several community events where people can receive free screening and application assistance throughout the month. They will be at farmers markets, health fairs, employment centers, community festivals and libraries. A complete list of the events is available at the 2-1-1 CalFresh events site.

For the first time, HHSA is also using social media to increase awareness and reach potentially eligible residents. Messages on Twitter and Facebook are targeting college students, seniors and families that may be eligible for benefits.

There are currently over 290,000 San Diego County residents receiving CalFresh benefits.

Eligibility and the amount of benefits issued depend on your household size, income and certain living expenses. Information about CalFresh, including how to apply, is available at www.mybenefitscalwin.org or www.getcalfresh.org, or by calling 2-1-1.

Tom Christensen is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact