Will California food stamps recipients receive extra CalFresh benefits for December? The extra food stamps for California for December 2022 are part of the Emergency Allotment (EA) Program. If you want to know how much extra CalFresh benefits you can expect in December and when you’ll receive them, continue reading below.
Alert: See below for when the $1,050 California Inflation Relief Checks will be mailed, plus CalFresh Payment Schedule for February 2023.
In this article, we will cover:
- What are Emergency Allotment benefits?
- Who qualifies for extra SNAP benefits?
- How much in extra food stamps will I receive?
- When you’ll receive your Extra Food Stamps in California
- Extra Food Stamps for California – December 2022
- Who is eligible for the $1,050 California Inflation Relief Checks?
Extra Food Stamp Benefits in California
Since March 2020, California has been using temporary SNAP flexibility to provide emergency food benefits to households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
These temporary flexibilities are also referred to as Emergency Allotment (EA) benefits.
What are Emergency Allotment benefits?
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act authorized emergency SNAP benefits because of COVID-19.
In California, the emergency allotments will raise each household’s monthly allotment of CalFresh to the maximum allowable based on household size.
In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will approve requests for the additional benefits on a month-by-month basis.
We will update this post each month to reflect the extra food stamps that was approved for the month.
EA benefits are part of the Pandemic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also know as P-SNAP.
To find out what households qualify to receive Emergency Allotment (EA) benefits during the Coronavirus pandemic, continue reading below.
Emergency Allotment Benefits Eligibility
If you are trying to find out if you are eligible to receive extra CalFresh benefits in California, we can help.
To find out who qualifies for extra food stamps benefits, continue reading below.
Who qualifies for extra CalFresh benefits?
Any household that is currently receiving CalFresh benefits qualifies for extra food stamp Emergency Allotment (EA) benefits.
There is no extra paperwork to turn in to get the extra CalFresh benefits.
It will simply be added to your EBT card, and you’ll be able to use it just like regular CalFresh.
In addition, any household that is approved for SNAP EBT in a month when EA benefits are issued, will also qualify to receive extra food stamp benefits.
To find out how much you can expect to receive in extra SNAP benefits, continue reading below.
How much in extra food stamps will I receive?
The amount of extra food stamp benefits you receive is determined by your household size.
Your Emergency Allotment benefits through P-SNAP is the difference between the amount of benefits you are currently receiving and the maximum benefit amount for your household size.
If you are already receiving the maximum monthly benefit amount for your household size, then you will not receive any additional or extra SNAP benefits.
However, if you are not receiving the maximum benefit allotment for your household size, then you will receive extra food stamp benefits.
This means that you will receive the Maximum Benefit Amount for your household size with EA benefits.
For help, check out our example on how to calculate your Emergency Allotment benefits below:
Emergency Allotment Benefits Calculator
The formula to calculate how much in extra CalFresh you will receive through Emergency Allotment (EA) benefits is provided below.
Maximum Monthly Benefit Allotment for Household Size – Current Monthly CalFresh Benefits = Total Extra Allotment CalFresh benefits
Example:
If you live in a household of 3 people and are currently receiving $400 in CalFresh benefits per month, then you will receive $135 in extra food stamp benefits.
That’s because the maximum allotment amount for a household of three is $535 per month.
To find out the maximum SNAP benefit allotment for your household size, check out the table below.
Maximum SNAP Benefit Allotment by Household Size
Use the chart below to find the Maximum SNAP Allotment Amount for your household size.
The 2022/2023 maximum SNAP allotments for the District of Columbia and all states other than Alaska and Hawaii are as follows:
| Maximum SNAP Benefit Amount by Household Size for Fiscal Year 2023 | |
| Effective October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023 | |
| Household Size | Maximum SNAP Benefit Allotment |
| 1 | $281 |
| 2 | $516 |
| 3 | $740 |
| 4 | $939 |
| 5 | $1,116 |
| 6 | $1,339 |
| 7 | $1,480 |
| 8 | $1,691 |
| Each Additional Household Member: Add | $211 |
When you’ll receive Extra SNAP Benefits in California
All households with active CalFresh cases in the benefit month will receive the maximum amount of benefits for their household size.
Emergency Allotments are approved on a rolling basis and issued by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).
The Emergency Allotment for a benefit month is issued in the middle of the next month.
For example, when you get the extra benefit in mid-January, it’s technically for the month of December.
If you do not receive your Emergency Allotment benefits, please contact your SNAP caseworker at your local CDSS office.
However, before you call your caseworker, make sure you have reviewed the payment schedule below to see all three issuance dates for extra benefit for the month you are missing.
To find the CDSS office near you, click here.
To find out when you can expect to receive your extra California SNAP benefits for this month, continue reading below.
Extra Food Stamps for California – December 2022
To find out when you can expect to receive your Emergency Allotment EA benefits on your California SNAP EBT Card for December 2022, see below.
When will I receive my extra food stamp benefits for December 2022?
California has requested and been approved to issue CalFresh emergency allotments for the month of December 2022.
December Extra CalFresh benefits will be issued on Saturday, January 7, 2023 and Friday, January 13, 2023.
For December 2022, CalSAWS will be issued on January 7, 2023 and CalWIN will be issued on January 13, 2023.
I did not receive Extra Food Stamps in November. What Can I Do?
Extra food stamps benefits for November will be paid on Saturday, December 17, 2022.
However, if you did not receive your benefits in December, the next round of November payments will be issued on Saturday, January 7, 2023.
I still have not received my Extra Food Stamps for October. What Can I Do?
Extra food stamps benefits for October 2022 were paid on Saturday, November 19, 2022.
However, if you did not receive your benefits on Saturday, November 19, 2022, the next round of October payments will be issued on Saturday, November 26th and Saturday, December 17th.
Also, if your October payment did not come on Saturday, November 26th or Saturday, December 17th then the last opportunity to receive your payment for October is on Saturday, January 7, 2023.
Is California issuing extra SNAP benefits in January 2023?
Yes. California has requested and been approved by the USDA to issue CalFresh emergency allotments for the month of January 2023.
This is because the Biden administration recently extended the national Covid public health emergency for another 90 days.
With this extension, the federal declaration will end in January 2023, unless it is extended again.
As a result, states that still have COVID-19 emergency declarations can continue to issue extra SNAP benefits through January as long as the federal mandate is in place.
In addition, the Biden administration has promised to give states a 60-day notice before the declaration is ended.
Each eligible household will only receive one emergency allotment per benefit month that emergency allotments are approved.
Furthermore, California runs three issuances for each approved emergency allotment for a given month.
This is done to ensure that all eligible households receive an emergency allotment for each benefit month that emergency allotments are approved.
Therefore, if you did not get the benefit on the first issuance date for a particular month, it means it may be sent on the second issuance date.
Furthermore, if you did not get the benefit for a particular month on the first or second issuance date, it means you will receive that benefit on the third issuance date for that month.
Are new California SNAP recipients eligible for extra food stamp benefits?
Yes, if your CalFresh application is approved during the month of December, P-SNAP benefits will be issued at the time of approval.
How do I check to see if I received my extra SNAP benefits?
To find out if you have received your extra SNAP EBT benefits for December, check your CalFresh EBT Card balance.
The Emergency Allotment benefits will be automatically deposited to your card EBT Card on your scheduled date.
Click here to find out how to check your CalFresh EBT Card balance.
CalFresh Emergency Allotment Payment Schedule for 2022
Here’s how to read the Emergency Allotment Payment Schedule Below:
As mentioned above, each eligible household will only receive one emergency allotment per benefit month that emergency allotments are approved.
However, California runs three issuances for each approved emergency allotment for a given month.
Therefore, if you did not get the benefit on the first issuance date for a particular month, it means it may be sent on the second issuance date.
Furthermore, if you did not get the benefit for a particular month on the first or second issuance date, it means you will receive that benefit on the third issuance date for that month.
It is therefore possible that your extra benefit for a particular month may be issued the following month, two months after, or three months after.
Here’s the CalFresh Emergency Allotment Issuance Schedule for 2022.
| Benefit Month | First Issuance | Second Issuance | Third Issuance |
| December 2022 | January 7 & 13 | TBA | TBA |
| November 2022 | December 17 | January 7 & 13 | TBA |
| October 2022 | November 19 & 26 | December 17 | January 7 |
| September 2022 | October 15 | November 19 & 26 | December 17 |
| August 2022 | September 3 & 9 | October 15 | November 19 & 26 |
| July 2022 | August 14 & 21 | September 3 & 9 | October 15 |
| June 2022 | July 16 & 23 | August 14 & 21 | September 3 & 9 |
| May 2022 | June 11 & 18 | July 16 & 23 | August 14 & 21 |
| April 2022 | May 14 & 21 | June 11 & 18 | July 16 & 23 |
| March 2022 | April 16 | May 14 & 21 | June 11 & 18 |
| February 2022 | March 19 & 26 | April 16 | May 14 & 21 |
| January 2022 | February 26 | March 19 & 26 | April 16 |
What is the New CalFresh Income Limit for 2022/2023?
Most households must have a total gross monthly income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level, to be potentially eligible for CalFresh.
If your household has a person who is 60 or older or disabled, only the net income limit must be met.
| California SNAP Income Eligibility Standards for Fiscal Year 2023 | ||
| Effective October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023 | ||
| Household Size | Monthly Gross Income (200% of FPL) | Monthly Net Income (100% of FPL) |
| 1 | $2,265 | $1,133 |
| 2 | $3,052 | $1,526 |
| 3 | $3,839 | $1,920 |
| 4 | $4,625 | $2,313 |
| 5 | $5,412 | $2,706 |
| 6 | $6,199 | $3,100 |
| 7 | $6,985 | $3,493 |
| 8 | $7,772 | $3,886 |
| Each Additional Household Member: Add | $787 | $394 |
Inflation Relief Checks are coming for Millions of Californians – worth up to $1,050
According to CNBC, more than half of California’s residents may soon receive a stimulus check from the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office has announced.
This is part of an inflation relief package worth $17 billion.
It is estimated that 23 million Californians will receive payments, totaling up to $1,050 for joint filers with at least one dependent.
Payments will be mailed this fall.
Who is Eligible for Inflation Relief Check?
Eligibility for the inflation relief check will depend on how much money each California resident earns, as well as how many dependents they have.
To be eligible, you must fall into one of the three income tiers for either single or joint tax filers.
Here are the income tiers for single and joint filers and how much each tier could receive.
Single tax filers will receive:
$350 if they earn less than $75,000 per year
$250 if they earn between $75,001 and $125,000 per year
$200 if they earn between $125,001 and $250,000 per year
Joint tax filers will receive:
$700 if they earn less than $150,000 per year
$500 if they earn between $150,001 and $250,000 per year
$400 if they earn between $250,001 and $500,000 per year
However, if either single or joint filers have at least one dependent, they will receive an additional amount of either $350, $250, or $200, based on their tier.
Importance of CalFresh Benefits
Here is data about CalFresh from The Public Policy Institute of California.
About 4.8 million Californians—one in eight—participate each month in CalFresh.
Additionally, about 6.5 million Californians are eligible for CalFresh, according to the California Department of Social Services 2022.
Also, roughly half of California’s young children participate in CalFresh by the time they turn six.
In California, families are eligible for CalFresh when their incomes fall under the federal poverty line ($27,750 in 2022 for a family of four).
Furthermore, as of January 2022, the average monthly benefit per participant was $262.
Eligible Cal Poly students can now receive free groceries through CalFresh
According to this report, 39% of Cal Poly students are currently experiencing food insecurity — up from 27% in 2018.
There is help on the way.
As of Sept. 1, the San Luis Obispo county Department of Social Services took over the process of approving what counted as “Local Programs to Increase Employability” (LPIE).
This program makes it possible for certain people to be eligible for food stamps if they’re in a job training-related program.
The image below shows the Cal Poly programs that are now classified as LPIEs, which are college programs that train you for a job.
Therefore, if you are a part of any of these programs, you may be eligible for an extra $250 a month to spend on groceries.
Click here to apply for CalFresh.
Extra Food Stamps for California – December 2022 Summary
Here’s the bottom line about Extra Food Stamps for California – December 2022:
Since March 2020, California has been using temporary SNAP flexibility to provide emergency food benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each eligible household will only receive one emergency allotment per benefit month that emergency allotments are approved.
Extra CalFresh benefits for December 2022 will be paid on Saturday, January 7, 2023 and Friday, January 13, 2023.
However, California runs three issuances for each approved emergency allotment for a given month.
Therefore, it is possible that your extra benefit for December may be issued in February 2023 or March 2023.
Also, if you did not receive your November extra SNAP benefits in December, the next round of November payments will be issued on Saturday, December 17, 2022, as well.
Questions?
We hope this post on Extra Food Stamps for California – December 2022 was helpful.
If you have further questions about CalFresh or California EBT Card, please let us know in the comments section below.
Also, be sure to check out our other articles about California SNAP and EBT, including:
