CalFresh March Benefits To Be Issued Early

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Despite the recent 35-day federal government shutdown, the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services said there will be no gaps in local coverage for people who regularly receive food assistance.

Marin HHS plans to issue benefits to many of those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), often called the CalFresh program, on Friday, March 1.

Typically, CalFresh benefits are issued over the first 10 days of any month, but the March benefit will be a single-day event. April benefits are expected to be issued in the typical 10-day method, county officials said.

CalFresh provides qualified applicants with a debit-like card used at participating grocery stores to supplement food purchases. Marin residents receiving CalFresh assistance must file a periodic report before being approved for ongoing benefits, the agency said.

Of the 10,000 people qualified to receive the CalFresh assistance locally, Marin HHS estimates that more than 4,000 are children and 1,400 are seniors. Nationwide, almost 39 million Americans receive federal supplemental assistance benefits, and nearly two-thirds are children, seniors or people with disabilities, the county said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees CalFresh, is one of nine federal departments that went without funding between Dec. 22 and Jan. 25. Marin HHS issued most CalFresh benefits for February between Jan. 16 and Jan. 20 to reduce food stress on needy households.

More information about the Marin County CalFresh program is available on www.marinhhs.org or by calling 1-877-410-8817.

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