RivCo Households to Get Emergency Food Benefits

75,000 Riverside County households to get emergency food benefits Sunday

RIVERSIDE COUNTY —More emergency CalFresh food benefits are on the way to Riverside County residents and families hit hard by the pandemic. The state is scheduled to add the allotment onto customers’ benefits cards Sunday, Feb. 14.

California has issued emergency food benefits to 75,000 households in Riverside County each month since the onset of the pandemic nearly a year ago. The emergency benefits are in addition to the regular allotments CalFresh customers receive monthly.

“The extra help is vital to children and adults and ensures they can access healthy food at a time when many people are experiencing financial hardships,” said Allison Gonzalez, assistant director of Self Sufficiency at the county’s Department of Public Social Services.

Local businesses also benefit from the emergency relief. The additional CalFresh food benefits have generated about $261 million in economic benefits for Riverside County grocers, farmers markets and eateries over eleven months, according to the state program’s calculator.

The emergency benefits are in addition to an across-the-board increase of 15% that CalFresh customers can expect to see continue at least through June 2021.

Members of the public are encouraged to see if they qualify for benefits by applying at  GetCalFresh.org, the C4Yourself mobile app or calling the DPSS Customer Service Center at 1-877-410-8827.