CalFresh Outreach Project

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CalFresh Awareness Project header

Promoting resources that address student hunger.

Food insecurity affects up to two-thirds of California Community College students. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the Foundation are working together along with multiple partners on a statewide level, including CSU Chico’s Center for Healthy Communities, to raise awareness and conduct outreach among students to enroll for CalFresh benefits. The Foundation also received generous gifts from the Golden 1 Credit Union and previously from the Kroger Co. Foundation to conduct targeted CalFresh outreach on college campuses and their surrounding communities. These efforts include creating outreach toolkits with promotional materials, digital outreach, CalFresh outreach training and technical assistance, as well as a pilot program for CalFresh Outreach Student Ambassadors. By reducing student hunger, CalFresh benefits can help our students to have better outcomes both in health and education. This comprehensive awareness campaign will aim to reduce stigma around the program, encourage students to find out if they are eligible, and apply for benefits at students.getcalfresh.org. The CalFresh outreach project is funded in part by USDA, SNAP, known in California as CalFresh, an equal opportunity provider and employer, and the California Department of Social Services.

Improving access through technology

Built by Code for America, a nonprofit in partnership with the California Department of Social Services, students.getcalfresh.org helps guide California’s students through the process of getting CalFresh benefits with a friendly and respectful experience. It demystifies eligibility determination and streamlines the application process, removing barriers to access and putting CalFresh benefits in reach. It guides students throughout the process, giving updates during their application review and determination as well as offering support for common barriers such as gathering appropriate documentation or missed appointments.

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Eligibility

To be potentially eligible for CalFresh, students must meet ONE of the following exemptions. The list below is not intended to be exhaustive; additional programs might be referred to locally by another name.

 

Programs that increase employability


  • CalFresh Eligibility and Training Program, including Fresh Success
  • CalWORKS 
  • Tribal TANF 
  • Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) 

Other exemptions


  • Approved for work study
  • Working 20 hours/week; or an average of 80 hours/month
  • Recipient of CalWORKs
  • Responsible for the care of a child under the age of 6 
  • Having dependent children under the age of 12
  • Approved for TANF-funded Cal Grant A or B 
  • Enrolled in an approved Career and Technical Assistance Program

 

 

 

Foundation for California
Community Colleges

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Help the Foundation further its mission to benefit, support, and enhance the California Community Colleges.

The Foundation for California Community Colleges is a 501(c)(3) organization (EIN 68-0412350).

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Who we serve

The Foundation serves as the official foundation supporting the Board of Governors, Chancellor’s Office, and the entire California Community College system, including 116 colleges and 73 districts, serving nearly 2 million students.

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