Anticipated Federal Shutdown May Postpone November CalFresh Benefit Disbursements

Mai C. is uncertain about when she received a notification from Sacramento County indicating her CalFresh benefits would cease in November. The message, delivered in English, was comprehensible to her but with some limitations. She noted that the same alert was available in the app she utilizes for tracking her CalFresh and cash aid finances. Preferring anonymity to avoid potential backlash, Mai C. chose not to disclose her full name and was interviewed in Hmong, ensuring she fully understood the conversation.Regarding the federal shutdown, she commented, “They can’t agree. They don’t want to fund Medi-Cal, which means they will stop financial support for food stamps and cash assistance.” The CalFresh program, although federally funded, relies on a federal budget for its execution, potentially leading to lost benefits starting November 1, affecting over 5.5 million people statewide. In light of the situation, the county’s Department of Human Assistance has started communicating with CalFresh recipients.