CalFresh Program Offers Assistance To Older Adult and PWD SSI Beneficiaries

Older adults and adults with disabilities receiving SSI are now eligible to apply for CalFresh for the first time ever. Following every other state in the nation, a new California law now enables SSI/SSP recipients to apply for CalFresh.

According to an article published by iCalifornia Food Stamps, the federally funded Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program offers low-income individuals who are 65 years of age or older, blind, or disabled a modest monthly benefit.

Up until June 2019, California remained the only state in the nation to prevent SSI recipients from being eligible for CalFresh. In California, the SSI payment is supplemented by a State Supplementary Payment, or “SSP.”

This made the state’s SSI recipients even more hungry and poor, forcing many of them to rely on neighborhood food pantries, food banks, and hot meal programs for their daily nutrition.

As a result, SSI and SSP benefits are no longer reduced or eliminated for seniors and people with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/State Supplementary Payment (SSP) as of June 1, 2019.

At authorized supermarkets and farmers’ markets, as well as online for delivery, the California EBT card may be used to buy qualifying food items. Additionally, under the new standards, SSI recipients who reside in a household where other members are already receiving CalFresh are also qualified.

The SSI recipient’s income may increase the CalFresh benefit for some households when combined. Adding the SSI recipient and their income will, however, cause other households to lose some or all of their CalFresh benefits.