CalFresh, California’s nutrition assistance program (the state’s equivalent of SNAP benefits), will continue to operate normally in 2025. Benefits are distributed via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, allowing low-income households to obtain essential foods.
According to official local government data, nearly five million families benefit monthly every year.
CalFresh payments are made at the beginning of each month, and there are no more payments as of now, but this does not imply that payments are being delayed or suspended indefinitely. Funds were distributed between March 1 and March 10, based on the last digit of each beneficiary’s case number.
No more CalFresh payments in March 2025: What’s coming next
As of March 10, 2025, all payments for the month had been processed, and all that remained was to predict when and how the next month’s payments would arrive.
In April 2025, the same schedule will apply: beneficiaries will receive their funds between April 1 and 10, depending on their case number. Users must meet eligibility requirements, such as recertification processes, on time in order for the program to continue.
Maximum benefit amounts (October 2024 to September 2025)
The amounts were adjusted for COLA and the federal Thrifty Food Plan. In households with more than eight members, there is an additional increase of $220 per person.
- 1-person household: $292
- household of 2 people: $536
- household of 3 people: $768
- household of 4 people: $975
- household of 5 people: $1,158
- household of 6 people: $1,390
- household of 7 people: $1,536
- household of 8 people: $1,756
- Additional person: +$220
A practical example to better understand: A household of 2 people with a net income of $100 would receive $506 ($536 – $30 standard deduction). For larger families, such as one with 10 members, the amount would be $1,756 + (220 × 2) = $2,196.
Will there be cuts to the CalFresh program?
Although the 2024-25 state budget cuts human services by less than 1%, this has no impact on monthly CalFresh payments. There have also been no recent changes to work requirements for adults without dependents (ABAWD) that would affect eligibility.
A funding increase is proposed for the next fiscal year (2025-2026), indicating that no cuts are planned in the near future.
Although there are no direct cuts to the program, changes to work requirements for specific groups, such as adults aged 50 to 54, may affect eligibility for some people; however, this does not reduce overall program funding but rather complicates the benefit eligibility process.
