Work part-time, don’t but earn too much. Enroll in college at least part-time, but be ready to miss class or work for an interview. Wait hours on the phone for your interview, then months for your paperwork to be processed. These are just some of the hoops college students have to go through to receive CalFresh, the federally funded food benefit program also known as SNAP.
Across California, between 400,000 and 750,000 college students meet SNAP eligibility but only about one-fifth receive federal food assistance, leaving around $140 million untapped, according to the California Policy Lab. While several campuses offer food pantries, meal donation programs and staff dedicated to helping students apply for CalFresh, many students still struggle to meet their nutritional needs.
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