Following new federal rules that limit who is eligible for food benefits and impose expanded work requirements, the California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS), Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), and California Department of Social Services (CDSS) are taking action to help more eligible Californians keep their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, known as CalFresh in California, by recognizing existing workforce programs as acceptable ways to meet the new federal rules and expanding the number of programs Californians can participate in to keep their CalFresh benefits.
“When people are worried about having enough food to eat, it becomes much harder to gain the skills and experience needed to obtain and maintain stable employment,” CalHHS Secretary Kim Johnson said. “I want to thank the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and the California Department of Social Services for their partnership on this effort, which will provide food security for eligible individuals.”
As a result of H.R. 1, on June 1, 2026, federal eligibility rules for SNAP changed. Now, more people must verify that they meet expanded work and community engagement requireme...