Sonoma County residents and workers impacted by recent fires may be eligible for disaster CalFresh benefits to provide funds for food purchases under temporary regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP).
Applications will be taken at three County of Sonoma Human Services Department Economic Assistance offices Wednesday, Oct. 25 through Wednesday, Nov. 1. The CalFresh program issues a benefit amount, based on household income, to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The card can be used like a debit card at participating food outlets and farmers markets.
There are three economic assistance offices taking disaster CalFresh applications in-person: 2550 Paulin Drive, Santa Rosa, 520 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa and Human Services South County Center, 5350 Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma. They will be open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional hours may be added.
Disaster CalFresh benefits are available to many residents, regardless of immigration status, who lived or worked in Sonoma County during the fires that started on Oct. 8, 2017, who lost a home or business; lost income (such as not being able to go to work); lost food (such as experiencing a power outage of four hours or more); or had disaster-related expenses that will not be reimbursed (such as repairs, temporary housing or evacuation expenses).
In addition, income limits are temporarily increased under disaster CalFresh. Residents who are under or near these income amounts can contact Economic Assistance, as certain deductions may make them eligible for help. These amounts are as follows: households of one with a monthly income of no more than $1,700 get a disaster allotment of $192, two people with a monthly income of $2,049 get $352, three people with a monthly income of $2,397 get $504, four people with a monthly income of $2,755 get $640, five people with a monthly income of $3,133 get $760, six people with a monthly income of $3,510 get $913, seven people with a monthly income of $3,858 get $1,009, eight people with a monthly income of $4,207 get $1,153 and each additional person in a household with a monthly income of $349 receives an additional $144.
Proof of identity and an in-person interview are required to complete an application. Identification may be a driver’s license or other picture ID. If a picture ID is unavailable, utility bills or other similar documents are accepted. Applicants must also bring a document that verifies that their home address or work location was in the disaster area prior to Oct. 8.
In addition, temporary regulations also allow Sonoma County households to use EBT care to purchase hot foods and hot foods ready for consumption temporarily through Nov. 15. Some households affected by fires already receiving CalFresh, Medi-Cal or CalWORKs will automatically receive up to the maximum disaster CalFresh amount based on their household size on their EBT cards.
To request information about new or current CalFresh, Medi-Cal or CalWORKs benefits, call 844-719-8808. After Nov. 1, residents may continue to apply for regular CalFresh during regular county business hours and online at www.mybenefitscalwin.org.
