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October 3, 2026 - In the face of sweeping federal cuts to food aid, the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program relaunched in October to make healthy meals more affordable for low-income families. Through an investment of $20 million secured by Assemblymember Alex Lee, the program is once again providing extra food benefits for CalFresh families after pausing at the end of June 2026.
For every $1 of CalFresh benefits spent on any fresh fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer, CalFresh recipients get $1 back on their EBT card to spend on any CalFresh-eligible food for up to $60 monthly. 92 retailers, including Santa Fe Foods and Arteaga’s Food Center in the Bay Area, are providing supplemental benefits through the program. Since launching in 2023, it has served over 546,000 Californians, providing more than $44 million in rebates by the end of May 2026.
“Our renewed investment in the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program will provide critical relief for low-income families,” said Assemblymember Lee, Chair of the Human Services Committee. “As the federal government slashes our anti-hunger programs, we are stepping up to ensure people have access to affordable and nutritious food. The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is a national model for reducing hunger, delivering real dollars back into the pockets of over half a million people. I am proud to have secured $20 million to restart this important program.”
The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is restarting at a time when the need for food assistance is greater than ever. The federal budget bill H.R. 1 will reduce or entirely cut off countless families from their CalFresh benefits. For instance, H.R. 1 policy changes that took effect in November 2025 are projected to reduce monthly benefits by an average of $39 for hundreds of thousands of CalFresh recipients. It also disqualifies humanitarian immigrants from CalFresh, impacting roughly 34,000 people. In addition, H.R. 1’s expanded work requirements are expected to put over half a million Californians at risk of losing food assistance.
However, even before H.R. 1, CalFresh families often struggled to afford the full cost of groceries. For a two-person household, the maximum monthly CalFresh benefits is $546, and most recipients deplete their benefits before the end of the month. Roughly 1 in 4 Californian adults were already experiencing food insecurity in 2025. In Santa Clara and Alameda counties alone, over 1.1 million people are projected to be in need of food aid.
With the cost of living continuing to skyrocket, it is more important than ever to extend extra food benefits for California’s lowest-income families. Trump’s tariffs are estimated to cost families $1,100 annually and food prices have soared by 33% between 2019 to 2026. Nearly 1 in 5 American adults are forced to dip into their savings to afford groceries.
For Victor Henderson, the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program has made a crucial difference for his family and enabled them to afford more nutritious meals.
“The program has been a big help to me and my family,” said Victor, a customer at Mother’s Nutritional Center, which is a participating retailer of the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program. “Being able to spend my EBT on fresh fruits and vegetables and receive that same EBT funds back gives me the opportunity to provide my family with healthier food without putting as much strain on my budget. It allows me to make better choices when grocery shopping and helps me stretch my money further for other household needs. I’m very grateful for this program because it makes eating healthier more affordable for my family.”
Over the last three years, Assemblymember Lee has secured a total of $66 million for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program. As a scalable and effective solution to reducing food insecurity, the program has served as a model for initiatives from coast to coast, including Colorado, Rhode Island and Washington.
Fullwell and Nourish California, which are sponsors of the effort to relaunch the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program, along with the program’s participating grocery stores released the following statements:
"We are grateful to Assemblymember Alex Lee and his colleagues for supporting the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program and securing resources to restart it for several more months this year,” said Lena Brook, Deputy Director with Fullwell. “This program bridges the significant gap created by H.R. 1 spending cuts and ensures that our most vulnerable populations can afford the fresh produce they need and want. Low-income Californians are facing unprecedented economic challenges - this investment in our nutrition safety net could not be coming at a better time.”
"The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is essential to helping families across the state stretch their grocery budgets and afford more fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Michelle Lee, Policy Advocate at Nourish California. “Restarting the program is a critical investment in the health and well-being of Californians, especially as families face high grocery costs and harsh federal cuts to our safety nets. We thank the Governor and Legislature for their commitment to reducing hunger and restoring this highly successful and popular program. We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure all Californians can afford and access the food they want and need to thrive."
“For a family on a tight budget, an extra $60 a month can make fresh fruits and vegetables a real choice at the grocery store,” said Guadalupe Lopez, owner of Arteaga’s Food Center. “This program helps parents put healthier meals on the table while freeing up their food budget for other groceries. We have seen why it matters to our customers, and we want more families to have access. We thank state leaders for funding the program’s return.”
“The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program has made a meaningful difference for the families and communities we serve, helping children, adults, and seniors stretch their food benefits while bringing more fresh fruits and vegetables home,” said Richard Flores, President of Mother’s Nutritional Center. “At Mother's Nutritional Center, we have seen firsthand how important this program is to our customers, particularly at a time when many families are facing increased pressure on their food budgets. We are grateful to see this program return and appreciate California's continued investment in helping families access fresh, nutritious food.”
“As a proudly California-based grocer rooted in serving diverse neighborhoods, Santa Fe Foods is honored to bring this program back to the communities we serve,” the owners of Santa Fe Foods said in a joint statement. “Our company remains steadfast in its mission to provide high quality, fresh fruits and vegetables, helping families bring healthy choices to their tables every day. We look forward to supporting the success of this program and witnessing the positive impact it will continue to have on the wellbeing of the families who rely on it.”
Source: Assemblymember Alex Lee
