Will California food stamps recipients receive extra CalFresh benefits for May? The extra food stamps for California for May 2022 are part of the Emergency Allotment (EA) Program. If you want to know how much extra CalFresh benefits you can expect in March and when you’ll receive them, continue reading below.
Alert: See the June 2022 Extra CalFresh Payment Schedule.
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 – May 2022
- $3000 Child Tax Credit Payments
- Who qualifies for CalFresh for College students?
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 2021 maximum SNAP allotments for the District of Columbia and all states other than Alaska and Hawaii are as follows:
| Household Size | CalFresh Minimum & Maximum Monthly Allotment |
| 1 | $20-$250 |
| 2 | $20-$459 |
| 3 | $20-$658 |
| 4 | $20-$835 |
| 5 | $20-$992 |
| 6 | $20-$1,190 |
| 7 | $20-$1,316 |
| 8 | $20-$1,504 |
| Each Additional Member: | +$188 |
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-December, it’s technically for the month of November.
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 – May 2022
To find out when you can expect to receive your Emergency Allotment EA benefits on your California SNAP EBT Card for May 2022, see below.
When will I receive my extra food stamp benefits for May 2022?
California has been approved for emergency allotments for the month of May 2022.
May Extra CalFresh benefits will be issued on June 11 or 18 2022.
I did not receive Extra Food Stamps in April. What Can I Do?
Extra food stamps benefits for April will be paid on May 14 or 21, 2022.
However, if you did not receive your benefits in May, the next round of April payments will be issued on June 11 or 18 2022.
I still have not received my Extra Food Stamps for March. What Can I Do?
Extra food stamps benefits for March were paid on April 16th, 2022.
However, if you did not receive your benefits on April 16th, the next round of March payments will be issued on May 14 or 21, 2022.
Also, if your March payment did not come on May 14 or 21, 2022, then the last opportunity to receive your payment for March is on June 11 or 18 2022.
Is California issuing extra SNAP benefits in June 2022?
Yes. California has requested and been approved by the USDA to issue CalFresh emergency allotments for the month of June 2022.
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 July, unless it is extended again.
As a result, states that still have COVID-19 emergency declarations can continue to issue extra SNAP benefits through July 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 September, 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 September, 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 2020 – and 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 2020-2022.
| Benefit Month | First Issuance | Second Issuance | Third Issuance |
| 2020 | |||
| March | April 12 | May 10 | June 14 |
| April | May 10 | June 14 | July 12 |
| May | June 14 | July 12 | August 16 |
| June | July 12 | August 16 | September 13 |
| July | August 16 | September 13 | October 18 |
| August | September 13 | October 18 | November 15 |
| September | October 18 | November 15 | December 20 |
| October | November 15 | December 20 | January 10 |
| November | December 20 | January 10 | February 14 |
| December | January 10 | February 14 | March 7 |
| 2021 | |||
| January | February 14 | March 7 | April 18 |
| February | March 7 | April 18 | May 16 |
| March | April 18 | May 16 | June 13 |
| April | May 16 | June 13 | July 18 |
| May | June 13 | July 18 | August 8 |
| June | July 18 | August 8 | September 11 |
| July | August 8 | September 11 | October 23 |
| August | September 11 | October 24 | November 14 |
| September | October 24 | November 14 | December 12 |
| October | November 14 | December 12 | January 16 |
| November | December 12 | January 16 | February 26 |
| December | January 16 | February 26 | March 19 & 26 |
| 2022 | |||
| January | February 26 | March 19 & 26 | April 16 |
| February | March 19 & 26 | April 16 | May 14 & 21 |
| March | April 16 | May 14 & 21 | June 11 & 18 |
| April | May 14 & 21 | June 11 & 18 | TBD |
| May | June 11 & 18 | TBD | TBD |
$3000 Child Tax Credit Payments
The American Rescue Plan increased the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children over the age of six.
Additionally, it went from $2,000 to $3,600 for children under the age of six, and raised the age limit from 16 to 17.
All working families will get the full credit if they make up to $150,000 for a couple or $112,500 for a family with a single parent (also called Head of Household).
When will I get the Child Tax Credit?
Starting on July 15th, 2021, most families will automatically receive monthly payments of $250 or $300 per child without having to take any action.
If you’ve filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or if you signed up to receive a stimulus check from the Internal Revenue Service, you will get this tax relief automatically.
You do not need to sign up or take any action.
What is the New CalFresh Income Limit for 2021/2022?
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.
| Number of People in Household | Maximum Monthly Gross Income Allowed – 200% Federal Poverty Level | Maximum Monthly Net Income Allowed – 100% Federal Poverty Level |
| 1 | $2,148 | $1,074 |
| 2 | $2,904 | $1,452 |
| 3 | $3,660 | $1,830 |
| 4 | $4,418 | $2,209 |
| 5 | $5,174 | $2,587 |
| 6 | $5,930 | $2,965 |
| 7 | $6,688 | $3,344 |
| 8 | $7,444 | $3,722 |
| 9 | $8,202 | $4,101 |
| 10 | $8,960 | $4,480 |
| Each additional member | +$758 | +$379 |
Who qualifies for CalFresh for College students?
Here are the eligibility requirements for CalFresh for students:
1. Meet Citizenship Requirements
To be eligible for CalFresh as a student, you must be a US Citizen or Permanent Legal Residence (PLR).
2. Fulfill at least ONE Student Requirement
If you are a student between the ages of 18 and 49, and are enrolled at least half-time, you must meet any one of the following criteria in order to be potentially eligible for CalFresh:
- Working at least 20 hours per week and getting paid for it
- Approved for some kinds of work-study programs
- Participating in an on-the-job training program
- Exerting parental control over a child under age 6
- Exerting parental control over a child between age 6 and 12, and no childcare services are available
- Receiving CalWORKS benefits
- Exerting parental control over a child under age 12 and are a single parent attending school full time
- Participating in the Educational Opportunity Program, College Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) Program, UC McNair, Puente Project, or Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program
3. Meet CalFresh Student Income Eligibility
The income limit you must meet to qualify for CalFresh depends on your household size.
Unless you are living with a spouse or your kids, your household size is 1.
Extra Food Stamps for California – May 2022 Summary
Here’s the bottom line about Extra Food Stamps for California – May 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 May 2022 will be paid on June 11 or 18 2022.
However, California runs three issuances for each approved emergency allotment for a given month.
Therefore, it is possible that your extra benefit for May may be issued in July 2022, or August 2022.
Also, if you did not receive your April extra benefit in May, the next round of April payments will be issued on June 11 or 18 2022, as well.
See the July 2022 Extra SNAP Payment Schedule.
Questions?
We hope this post on Extra Food Stamps for California – May 2022 was helpful.
If you have further questions about CalFresh 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:
How much will I get in CalFresh?
How to Complete CalFresh SAR 7 Form
Get Printable CalFresh SAR 7 Form
CalFresh Payment Schedule for May
CalFresh for SSI Recipients
