If you live in Riverside County, California, have low income, and need help paying for food, you may qualify for the food stamps (also known as CalFresh). Follow the instructions below to learn more about how to apply for Riverside County Food Stamps.
Table of Contents:
- Riverside Food Stamps
- California Food Stamps Income Limits – 2023
- What do I need to Apply for Food Stamps in Riverside County?
- How to Apply for Riverside County Food Stamps
- How Much in CalFresh will I Get?
- What to do if you Need Food Assistance Now
Riverside Food Stamps
CalFresh is the name of the California Food Stamps program. It is also known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
The SNAP program is a federal nutrition program that helps people with low income buy healthy food.
SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food at grocery stores, convenience stores, and some farmers’ markets and co-op food programs.
In Riverside County, the CalFresh program is managed by the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).
Eligibility for CalFresh, as well as the benefit amount, is based on your household’s size and income level.
A household can be one person, a group of people, a family, or any combination of people that buy and prepare food together.
Children living with their parents are considered part of the same household until age 22.
Furthermore, many legal non-citizens are eligible for CalFresh benefits.
Also, even if you can’t get CalFresh benefits for yourself, other members of your household may be eligible.
Once approved monthly benefits are provided on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
California Food Stamps Income Limits – 2023
To be eligible for food stamps in Riverside County, there is a gross income and net income limit that must be met.
Most households must have a total gross monthly income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level, to potentially qualify for CalFresh.
The elderly and persons with disabilities must still pass the net income test.
However, they are not subject to a gross income test.
Also, deductions are expenses that are subtracted from the household’s monthly gross income to arrive at the net monthly income.
Gross Income Limit for CalFresh
For CalFresh purposes, gross monthly income means a household’s total income before excluding allowable deductions.
The table below shows the gross monthly income limit for California food stamps.
| California Food Stamps Gross Income Limits for Fiscal Year 2023 | |
| Number of People in Household | Gross Income (200% of FPL) |
| 1 | $2,266/month |
| 2 | $3,052/month |
| 3 | $3,839/month |
| 4 | $4,625/month |
| 5 | $5,412/month |
| 6 | $6,199/month |
| 7 | $6,985/month |
| 8 | $7,772/month |
| Each Additional Household Member: Add | $787/month |
Net Income Limit for CalFresh
The net monthly income is used to determine eligibility and the amount of CalFresh benefits that will be received monthly.
The table below shows the net monthly income limit for California food stamps:
| California Food Stamps Net Income Limits for Fiscal Year 2023 | |
| Number of People in Household | Net Income (100% of FPL) |
| 1 | $1,133/month |
| 2 | $1,526/month |
| 3 | $1,920/month |
| 4 | $2,313/month |
| 5 | $2,706/month |
| 6 | $3,100/month |
| 7 | $3,493/month |
| 8 | $3,886/month |
| Each Additional Household Member: Add | $394/month |
To arrive at the net income, the following allowable expenses are subtracted from the gross monthly income.
CalFresh deductions include:
- 20% deduction from earned income,
- A standard deduction of $193 for households with 1-4 members,
- A standard deduction of $225 for a household with 5 members,
- Standard deduction of $258 for a household with 6 or more members,
- Cost of childcare when needed to work, seek work or attend training for work,
- Medical expenses exceeding $35 for elderly or disabled household members,
- Court-ordered child support payments paid to non-household members, and
- A portion of shelter (rent or mortgage) and utility costs
California Food Stamps Asset Limit
There is no asset limit for food stamps in California.
However, if a household has an elderly or disabled member and did not meet the Gross Income test above, there is an asset limit of $4,250.
What do I need to Apply for Food Stamps in Riverside County?
To apply for SNAP/CalFresh/Food Stamps in Riverside county, you need to complete an application with your name, address, and signature.
See instructions for how to apply below.
If you are homeless, only your name and signature are needed.
Additionally, when you are interviewed, your Caseworker will likely ask you for the following information:
Identification: Driver’s license, an I.D card, health card, or other identification documents
Social Security Numbers: Your number and a number for those who live in your household (if they have one)
Proof of income: Pay stubs, child support orders, and benefit statements
For legal non-US citizens: Resident alien card or other proof of immigration status
How to Apply for Riverside County Food Stamps
There are three ways you can apply for CalFresh benefits in Riverside County:
Option 1 – Online
The easier and quickest way to apply for CalFresh in Riverside County is online through the BenefitCal portal at www.benefitscal.com.
Another way to apply online is through www.getcalfresh.org.
Option 2 – By Phone
You can call the Riverside County Social Services Agency (DPSS) to apply by phone or have an application mailed to you.
Here is the number to call:
DPSS Customer Service Center (CSC) 1-877-410-8827.
You can complete the paper application and return it to the DPSS office for processing.
Option 3 – In Person
Lastly, you can apply In person at any of the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) offices.
To locate a DPSS office near you, click here.
After you submit an application, you will be contacted by an eligibility worker to complete the application process.
How soon will my application be approved?
You will receive CalFresh benefits within 30 days of submitting your application.
However, all required information has been provided and verified before a decision can be made on our application.
How Much in CalFresh will I Get?
If you are approved for food stamps in California, how much in benefits you get partly depends on the number of people in your household.
For details on how much in benefits your household is likely to receive. see our post on California food stamps benefits amount.
Do you Need Food Now?
Is your household struggling and needing food assistance now?
If so, there are two ways to get food quickly in Riverside County, as explained below:
Option 1 – Expedited CalFresh Application
If your household has little or no money and needs food assistance right away, you may qualify for Expedited CalFresh (ES) benefits within three days, or even as early as the same day after the application is received.
To be eligible for expedited Calfresh benefits, your household must be eligible for regular food stamps and meet one of the following requirements:
- Cash resources of $100 or less and a gross monthly income of less than $150.
- Combined cash resources and gross monthly income are less than your monthly expenses for rent/mortgage and utilities.
- Your family includes a migrant or seasonal farmworker who has $100 or less in cash resources and very little income or income has been terminated.
If you do qualify for expedited Calfresh, you will receive your food stamp benefits within 3 calendar days.
A weekend (Saturday and Sunday) is considered one calendar day.
Option 2 – Food Pantries in Riverside County
Another way to get food now is to visit food banks and pantries in Riverside County.
Below is a list of food pantries in Riverside County where you can get food assistance immediately:
Arlington Seventh Day Adventist Community Services
8778 Magnolia Ave.
Riverside, CA – 92503
Phone: (951) 688-6632
Arlington Temporary Assistance Food Pantry
10459 Arlington Ave. Unit 1 Suite 112
Riverside, CA – 92503
Phone: (951) 689-5620
Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Service
7680 Casa Blanca Street
Riverside, CA – 92504
Phone: (951) 688-3043
Community Settlement Association
4366 Bermuda Avenue
Riverside, CA – 92507
Phone: (951) 686-6266
Highgrove Nutrition
459 Center Street
Riverside, CA – 92507
Phone: 951-341-6634
Kansas Avenue 7th Day Adventist Church Community Services
4491 Kansas Avenue
Riverside, CA – 92507
Phone: (951) 682-9810
La Sierra University Church – Community Services
4920 Sierra Vista
Riverside, CA – 92505
Phone: (951) 354-7095
Lutheran Social Services – Myer
23310 Myer Drive
Riverside, CA – 92518
Phone: (951) 689-7847
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
5250 Central Avenue
Riverside, CA – 92504
Phone: (951) 689-8921
Queen of Angels Church Food Assistance
4824 Jones Ave.
Riverside, CA – 92505
Phone: (951) 689-3674
Sacred Heart Church – Riverside
9935 Mission Boulevard
Riverside, CA – 92509
Phone: (951) 685-5058
Southern California Indian Center, Inc.
1151 Spruce Street
Riverside, CA – 92507
Phone: (951) 710-3068
Second Harvest Food Bank Serving Riverside & San Bernardino Counties
2950 – B Jefferson Street
Riverside, CA – 92504
Phone: (909) 359-4757
Hope Lutheran Church
2882 Arlington Ave
Riverside, CA – 92506
Phone: (951) 684-2205
Lighthouse of Hope Foundation
9085 California Ave
Riverside, CA – 92503
Phone: (951) 977-6560
CalFresh Riverside Summary
We hope this post on CalFresh Riverside was helpful.
Questions?
If you have further questions about CalFresh in Riverside County or California EBT Card, please let us know in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out our other articles about CalFresh and CalFresh EBT, including:
