April 11, 2023 – SAN FRANCISCO – Due to severe storms and flooding, and effective immediately, retail food stores licensed by the Food and Nutrition Service and located in the following California counties may accept SNAP benefits in exchange for HOT foods and foods intended to be consumed on retailer premises:

Counties include: Alpine, Calaveras, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Monterey, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and Ventura.

These special rules are in effect through May 2, 2023.

Hot foods purchased with SNAP EBT benefits through May 2, 2023, are NOT subject to sales tax, as the foods mentioned above are considered SNAP eligible during this period.

Individuals seeking more information about this and other available aid should dial 2-1-1. For more information about California SNAP, visit https://www.cdss.ca.gov/food-nutrition/calfresh.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service works to end hunger and improve food and nutrition security through a suite of more than 15 nutrition assistance programs, such as the school breakfast and lunch programs, WIC and SNAP. Together, these programs serve 1 in 4 Americans over the course of a year, promoting consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, and affordable food essential to optimal health and wellbeing. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. FNS’s report, “Leveraging the White House Conference to Promote and Elevate Nutrition Security: The Role of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service,” highlights ways the agency will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy, released in conjunction with the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022. To learn more about FNS, visit https://www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.

Source: USDA