What to Know About the End of Emergency Allotments

Published On: February 6th, 2023By Categories: Must Read, Resources1.9 min read

This month, emergency allotments are coming to an end. SNAP (known as CalFresh in California) emergency allotments were a temporary strategy authorized by Congress to provide additional assistance to low-income individuals and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, because of Congressional action, they’re ending. CalFresh recipients will no longer receive pandemic-era boosts after this month’s payments.

This will present a huge challenge for the many San Diegans who receive CalFresh and rely on the extra income to buy groceries every month.

Here’s what you need to know:

Emergency Allotments Officially End This Month

Extra payments to CalFresh recipients will end in February 2023. Final emergency allotment payments will be issued in March. Moving forward, recipients will only receive their regular benefits based on income and household size. Payments will end automatically. There is no reporting necessary.

Feeding San Diego Is Here to Help

Our CalFresh team’s sole purpose is to provide support to our community when it comes to CalFresh benefits. Assistance is available in either English or Spanish. Our team of specialists is here to answer your questions and can be reached by email or phone at calfreshteam@feedingsandiego.org or 858.863.6635.

Feeding San Diego CalFresh Booth at Third Avenue Charitable Organization in San Diego on October 22, 2021.

Two members of our CalFresh team at an outreach event

In addition, we host hundreds of food distributions around the county to support people facing hunger. If you are in need of no-cost groceries, visit our Find Food Map and enter your zip code to find a distribution near you.

We’re Advocating for Those We Serve

SNAP (known as CalFresh in California) is the nation’s first line of defense against hunger. The program provides food benefits that are timely, targeted, and temporary.

In addition to CalFresh boosting the food purchasing power of individuals and families, CalFresh is also an economic multiplier that infuses money into local economies. Every dollar of CalFresh benefits spent helps generate between $1.50 and $1.80 in economic activity.

Above all, the charitable food system cannot meet the growing demand for food alone, especially amid a pandemic and economic downturn. We cannot match the unparalleled strength of CalFresh to increase food security and stimulate our local economy. Together with the team at Feeding America, Feeding San Diego advocates for those who receive CalFresh. Learn more about advocacy here.