Thursday, February 13, 2025

Los Angeles County Opens Emergency Food Aid Applications After January Wildfires

Disaster CalFresh program provides one month of benefits to affected residents not currently receiving food assistance

Los Angeles County began accepting applications through Feb. 19 for emergency food assistance for those impacted by January’s devastating wildfires.

The temporary food aid initiative, known as Disaster CalFresh, is available to individuals and families who lived or worked in fire-impacted areas and suffered losses from the disaster.

Recipients will receive one month’s worth of benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer card, which can be used to purchase food at authorized retail stores throughout the County.

The program, federally designated as the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), became available after a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance and restoration of commercial food distribution.

Current CalFresh recipients affected by the disaster may qualify for supplemental disaster benefits, while new applicants could receive a full month’s allotment of emergency food assistance.

To qualify, households must have purchased or planned to purchase food during the disaster period and experienced at least one hardship: loss of income, inaccessible resources, or disaster expenses.

If any member of a household lived or worked in the disaster area during the benefit period, all household members may be eligible under the program guidelines.

The LA County Department of Public Social Services has opened its offices seven days a week to process applications, which can be submitted in person or by calling (866) 488-8482. In Pasadena, DPSS offices are at 955 N. Lake. Ave.

Unlike regular CalFresh benefits, this emergency program requires consideration of both income and resources when determining eligibility, with modifications to standard categorical eligibility rules.

Affected residents can verify their eligibility by checking the list of qualifying zip codes on the CalFresh Food and Nutrition website, https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/food.html.

Total net income received during the benefit period, combined with accessible liquid resources and minus eligible disaster expenses, must fall below established disaster gross income limits.