CalFresh

CalFresh Outreach Week

CalFresh Outreach Week is a semesterly initiative to increase awareness of the nutrition assistance programs to address food insecurity issues and to help students navigate the benefits application process.

 

This spring, our CalFresh Outreach Team is planning to host the following activities for the week:

 

  • CalFresh at the AS Food Pantry (2/26 from 1 pm to 5 pm at Cesar Chavez Student Center)

    • Come receive free groceries! Visit AS Food Pantry for a shopping spree without spending a dime! While you're there, chat with the CalFresh Outreach Student Assistant to learn about CalFresh. Complete a pre-screener and receive a prize!

 

  • CalFresh Crash Course (2/27 from 12 pm to 1 pm on Zoom)

    • Attention SF State students! Ready to supercharge your food budget? Join us for an epic workshop series starting with Part 1: The CalFresh Crash Course. Discover how to unlock free money for groceries, master the application process, and unleash the full potential of EBT benefits. Plus, SF State students who attend & complete our workshop survey will receive a $10 gift card! Don't wait – secure your spot and register now and let's drive towards a brighter, more nourished future together! 
      MUST BE A CURRENTLY ENROLLED SFSU STUDENT TO ATTEND.
    • RSVP for the Zoom Workshop Here

 

  • Cash in With CalFresh (2/28 from 3 pm to 4 pm in the FSS/HPW Office)

    • Mark your calendars, SF State students! It's time to cash in with CalFresh in Part 2 of our 'Get Free Money for Food' series! Join us in-person at the FSS/HPW office across from City Eats for a hands-on event where you can apply for CalFresh benefits with personalized assistance from the CalFresh Team. Plus, indulge in pizza and snacks while you make the most of this opportunity – it's a win-win! If you attended Part 1, you will be entered in our special giveaway & win big! Don't miss your chance to secure your grocery budget, pizza and hands on support! See you at the Cash in with CalFresh event!  
    • RSVP for this Event Here

 

  • CalFresh at the Farmers' Market (2/29 from 1 pm to 3 pm at AS Farmers' Market)

    • Stretch your grocery budget with CalFresh! Find us at the Farmer's Market on Thursday February 29th to learn more about CalFresh and other food resources on or near campus.

 

  • Come visit Gator Groceries (3/1 from 1 pm to 5 pm in Cesar Chavez Student Center)

    • Made reservations for your grocery box? Don't forget to pick it up from 1 to 5pm downstairs in the Cesar Chavez Student Center. 

We welcome persons with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. If you would like reasonable accommodations, please contact Diana Cardenas at dycardenas@sfsu.edu.

Take our CalFresh Pre-Screener

Study and Snack with CalFresh

📚✨ Study and Snack with CalFresh on December 6th! ✨📚

Feeling the pressure of finals? Seeking a quiet space to hit the books? Look no further! Join us at the Health Promotion Wellness Office on December 6th from 11:30am-1pm for an exclusive Study and Snack event. We're here to provide you with a designated area to focus on your studies, complete with essential tools, nutritious snacks, ramen station, and wellness tips to keep you at your best during finals week!

We will be hosting a raffle for everyone who attends our event! It will include multiple opportunities for winners and different prizes so please join us to enter!

Go Visit Gator Groceries!

Come visit the San Francisco State AS Gator Groceres in the Cesar Chavez Building! Pick up free food on campus every week by making a reservation. Don't miss out and the opportunity to reserve your spot for free groceries. (https://basicneeds.sfsu.edu/associated-students-gator-groceries).

In partnership with the SF-Marin Food Bank, AS Food Pantry and Gator Groceries provides students free and nutritious food weekly. Discover ways SFSU participates to combat food insecurity on campus!

Visit AS Farmers Market!

Our Cal Fresh Team encourages you to access SFSU's very own AS Farmers Market held every Thursday from 10am-3pm! Located in front of the humanities building are a variety of healthy, yummy, and culturally empowering food options for you to get while supporting our local farmers and small businesses.

Trick or Treat with CalFresh at Gator Groceries!

Join us for a spooktacular Halloween celebration at "Trick or Treat with Cal Fresh" partnered with Gator Groceries! Come enjoy our ghoulishly delightful event filled with candy, free gifts, and a whole lot more!

  • Indulge your sweet tooth with our assortment of treats!
  • Discover how you can get free money for groceries with Cal Fresh.
  • Meet Dill the Pickle and snap some hauntingly fun photos.

Don't miss out on the fun and the opportunity to reserve your spot for free groceries. (https://basicneeds.sfsu.edu/associated-students-gator-groceries). Bring your friends and classmates to this thrilling event—it's a Halloween celebration you won't want to ghost!

Mark your calendars for October 26 and join us at Gator Groceries. Trick or treat with Cal Fresh and make this Halloween unforgettable!

Brunch & Bingo with CalFresh!

Do you want to learn about different ways you can use your CalFresh EBT card while enjoying brunch and a fun game of bingo with your peers? Join us for an informal mixer at Health Promotion and Wellness where we will share different places you can use your EBT card! We will provide brunch for everyone who attends, so come and relax with us by playing a fun game of CalFresh themed bingo. The first three people to reach bingo wins a $20 gift card to Peets! Participants who complete our End of Workshop survey will also be entered in a raffle to win a Magic Bullet Blender!

We welcome persons with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. If you would like reasonable accommodations, please contact Diana Cardenas at dycardenas@sfsu.edu. Must be a currently enrolled SFSU student to receive the prizes.

CalFresh 101 Workshop: Basics, Eligibility & Tips

Do you want to find out if you’re eligible for CalFresh benefits to help you buy groceries every month? Join us for an online in-depth informational workshop to learn more about CalFresh, updates in eligibility and student exemptions, and how we can help you apply! Currently enrolled students who attend our online workshop and complete our end of workshop survey will receive a $20 gift card to Target!

We welcome persons with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. If you would like reasonable accommodations, please contact Diana Cardenas at dycardenas@sfsu.edu. Must be a currently enrolled SFSU student to receive the prizes.

Go Visit AS Food Pantry!

Come visit the San Francisco State AS Food Pantry in the Cesar Chavez Building! Pick up free food on campus every week! In partnership with the SF-Marin Food Bank, AS Food Pantry and Gator Groceries provides students free and nutritious food weekly. CalFresh has partnered with AS Food Pantry to address food insecurity, and we want you to be a part of the solution. Discover ways SFSU participates to combat food insecurity on campus! Plus, learn about accessing free money for groceries.

CalFresh Student Exemptions Changes

During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), a change in federal law made more students temporarily eligible for CalFresh benefits. These rules expanded eligibility to students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $0 and students eligible to participate in a state or federally financed work-study program.

Now that the PHE has ended, the temporary expanded eligibility expired on June 9th of 2023. If you are already participating in CALFRESH under one of the temporary student exemptions, you do not have to do anything to keep your benefits until your next recertification. Starting July 1, you can recertify only under regular CALFRESH rules.

The regular CALFRESH student exemptions are as follows:

  • Do you work at least 20 hours per week OR a total of 80 hours a month?
  • Were you awarded or are eligible for federal work-study in your 22-23 financial aid
  • award?
  • Were you awarded Cal Grant A OR B in your 22-23 financial aid award?
  • Are you currently employed through the work-study program?
  • Are you working on campus as a student employee?
  • Are you part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)?
  • Are you participating in a Local Education Program that Increases Employability (LPIE).
    • In other words, are you part of a major or program that requires you to complete an internship, fieldwork experience, student teaching, clinical hours to graduate?
  • Are you exerting parental control over a dependent household member under the age of 6 OR between the age of 6 and 12 with no adequate childcare (as determined by the county on a case-by-case basis)?
  • Are you a single parent of a dependent household member under the age of 12 AND enrolled full-time (12+ units)
  • Are you participating in the CalFresh Employment and Training Program (CFET) or be a recipient of CalWorks , AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children), or GROW (General Relief Opportunities for Work)

If you have any questions and concerns or would like assistance with recertification, please email us at calfresh@sfsu.edu.

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