CalFresh Food

CalFresh Food, known federally as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), provides a monthly cash supplement loaded onto a debit/EBT card to purchase groceries. CalFresh Food assistance has helped many students who are experiencing budget restraints. 

SJSU Cares provides application assistance! 
We're here to provide extra support with in-person or virtual CalFresh Food application assistance:
Tuesdays or Thursdays: Make an appointment
Mondays or Wednesdays: Make an appointment

CalFresh has helped many students                                                   Santa Clara & San Mateo Residents >>> Request CalFresh Food Sign Up Assistance from Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Students outside of Santa Clara & San Mateo counties (including other states) please consider this National SNAP Directory.

Common Eligibility Requirements

Students must meet all of the following for college student eligibility: 

  • Between ages 18-49
  • Enrolled at least half-time as an SJSU student
  • Not on a campus meal plan with 11+ meals per week
  • Be mentally and physically fit for work

Students must meet at least one of the following exemptions:

  • Work an average of 20+ hours per week
  • Have a child/dependent 12 or younger
  • Receive CalGrant A or B
  • In a Local Program that Increases Employability (LPIE)
  • Participating in Work Study

Remember, if you’ve recently experienced a loss or decrease in employment income, you may be newly eligible for CalFresh Food, and should reapply. 

Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE)

Local Programs that Increase Employability are programs approved by the California Department of Social Services. These programs include at least one employment and training component, which makes students in these programs eligible to apply for CalFresh Food Benefits. If you want to know if your major or program is an LPIE, please fill out our Google form. This form allows us to process your request for an LPIE Letter.

After you submit the form, we will check if your major or program is eligible. If it is, we will process your request and send you the LPIE letter soon. To access the Google Form, you must use your SJSU email address.

If you have any questions or encounter any issues while filling out the form, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to assist you throughout the process.

Signing Up/Sign-Up Assistance

Students can apply themselves, but we highly recommend using one of the following sign-up assistance programs where trained staff/volunteers can help guide you through the process.

SJSU Cares partners with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley in offering CalFresh Food assistance to students in Santa Clara & San Mateo County by phone: 1-800-984-3663 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm) or by requesting them to reach out to you.

 

Sign up for CalFresh Food Without Assistance

To see if you are eligible, go to the BenefitsCal website and click “Apply for Benefits."

If you need assistance with the application process, email calfresh@sjsu.edu

SNAP Retail Locator

You can easily find retailers that accept EBT by using the SNAP Retailer Locator. To do this, simply type in your street address, city, state, or zip code into the locator tool, which will then show you a list of SNAP-authorized retailers. You can select a store or a map point to get more details and directions on how to get there.

 

Farmers' Markets and CalFresh Food

Many farmers' markets will double your money if you use CalFresh Food to purchase your fruits and vegetables! Use the Farmers' Market Finder to locate a SNAP eligible market near you.

 

CalFresh Food Reference Information