Re-registering Four Times a Year Deceases Participation, Increases Hunger

ACT NOW to Fight Hunger in California - Archdiocese of Los Angeles - California Catholic Conference Alert
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Re-registering Four Times a Year Deceases Participation, Increases Hunger

The number of eligible people in California participating in CalFresh (formerly known as food stamps) is the third worse in the nation, in part due to overly restrictive registration requirements that even the USDA recommends changing. AB 6 CalWORKs and CalFresh (Fuentes, D-Los Angeles) will reduce the quarterly re-registering required by California regulations and boost participation in the program.

Even though California enjoys a rich and diverse agricultural economy, our state now has more than 2.2 million residents who cannot afford enough food and experience episodes of hunger—most of them are working families with children or seniors. An overly burdensome reporting system acts as a major barrier for households trying to access critical nutrition assistance through CalFresh.

When recipients fail to keep up with the program’s paperwork they are removed from the rolls. To get back on, they must start the whole application process over again. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that about 50 percent of eligible California households do not participate in the program, ranking California 48th in participation among states in the Union.

CalFresh benefits have the highest economic multiplier effect out of all government programs or fiscal policy tools that stimulate the economy. Increasing participation levels to near 100 percent, could mean an additional $4.9 billion in Federal benefits for needy Californian’s. Food insecurity continues to be a struggle faced by too many California families. We must work to implement strategies that reduce barriers in accessing benefits and increase CalFresh participation.

By simplifying the process and going to a semi-annual reporting system, we would improve access to critical nutrition assistance, reduce administration workload and improve program accuracy. This change in the system is likely to help families stay on the program and increase participation.

Ask your lawmaker to vote yes on AB 6.