By admin 
California has streamlined the process for college students to receive food aid.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced Friday, Oct. 9, that students enrolled in California Community Colleges, state universities, or UC schools now automatically meet the initial requirements to receive CalFresh, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
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In a press release, the governor’s office stated that the overwhelming and laborious process of proving eligibility for CalFresh benefits kept many students from receiving the food aid they needed. “This change does not create new benefits; it makes it easier for people to access the benefits they’re already entitled to. Hundreds of thousands of students are eligible but not receiving benefits,” the statement read.
With the new process, students must be financially eligible to receive benefits and enrolled “least half-time in an associate or bachelor’s degree program.” Participants, said the office, can receive up to $306 monthly for groceries.
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The governor’s office expects that 200,000 California students will enroll in CalFresh as a result of these changes, and expects to distribute over a quarter billion dollars in additional food assistance.
In 2023, 66% of students receiving financial aid also reported that they struggled to afford adequate and healthy food. “College is challenging enough—students should not have to worry about where their next meal will come from,” said California Department of Social Services director Jennifer Troia.
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