Resources

CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low-income and provides economic benefits to communities. CalFresh is the largest food program in California and provides an essential hunger safety net. CalFresh is federally mandated and in California, is state-supervised and county-operated.

CalFresh benefits can help buy nutritious foods for a better diet. CalFresh benefits stretch food budgets, allowing individuals and families to afford nutritious food, including more fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods. The amount of benefits a household receives is dependent on household size countable income, and monthly expenses, such as housing and utilities. The program issues monthly benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. Food may be purchased at any grocery store or farmers market that accepts EBT cards.

https://benefitscal.com/

https://www.getcalfresh.org/

Meeting USDA smart snack standards at school

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/guide-smart-snacks-school

A New Summer Food Program for Kids!

SUN Bucks is a new permanent program that helps families with school-age children buy groceries during the summer when kids might not have access to school meals.

A federal law called the Consolidated Appropriations Act passed in December 2022 to create SUN Bucks across the country. California passed a law in July 2023 to join the program. The California Department of Social Services is the lead agency implementing the program, in partnership with the California Department of Education.

For summer 2024, the state will automatically enroll about 5 million eligible children based on existing school and social services data. Most children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through a school meal application or an Alternative Income Form, or get CalFresh, CalWORKs, and/or Medi-Cal, are automatically enrolled. For more information, please visit the link below or contact the SUN Bucks helpline at (877) 328-9677 to see if you qualify. 

https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks

Be sure to fill out your Parent Data Confirmation Survey online through your Aeries parent portal to see if you are eligible. Students are not automatically eligible for SUN Bucks, unless a student is migrant, homeless, foster, or directly certified through participation in CalFresh, CalWORKS , or Medi-Cal. You can also print and complete a UBA form (Univeral Benefits Application) and submit to your students District Office. For eligibility requirements please click the link above. 

Universal Benefits Application 

https://aeries.excelsior.com/student/LoginParent.aspx