Hunger 101: 2026 Updates to CalFresh Benefits
- Anthony Parker
- May 1
- 3 min read
Back on July 4, 2025, the federal government made sweeping changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh. The “Big Beautiful Bill” passed last year included three major phases that directly impacted who was eligible to receive SNAP benefits and how the program is funded.
The first round of SNAP changes went into effect April 1. Further rounds are planned for June 1 and October 1. In this post, we’ll take a look at each round of changes to SNAP planned for 2026.
What is SNAP and Who Does It Help
Established in 1964, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal program aimed at combating hunger and food insecurity among low-income Americans. Previously referred to as food stamps, SNAP benefits are transferred to eligible families through debit cards used to purchase food items. In California, SNAP is more commonly known as CalFresh.
About 41 million Americans receive an average of $187.20 per month in SNAP benefits. Here in California, 5.5 million people receive CalFresh help. Roughly 175,000 people in Alameda County rely on CalFresh benefits, which is almost 1 out of every 4 people in our region.
Over 737,000 individuals in CA are estimated to be impacted. Approximately half are at risk of losing their benefits entirely, and the other half will see a reduction in their benefit amounts. (Source: CA Association of Food Banks)
April 2026: Eligibility Changes for Noncitizens
The first SNAP change implemented affected who is eligible to receive benefits. As of April 1, 2026, groups eligible to receive benefits are limited to:
U.S. citizens
U.S. nationals
Lawful permanent residents (LPR)
Cuban and Haitian entrants (CHE)
Individuals who reside in the U.S. in accordance with a Compact of Free Association (COFA) agreement
Federal law now prohibits certain groups of noncitizens who previously qualified for benefits from receiving SNAP. On April 1, ~72,000 folks from the following groups are no longer eligible:
An asylee
A refugee
A parolee (unless you are a CHE)
A victim of trafficking
A battered noncitizen
June 2026: Eligibility Changes for Adults
The second SNAP benefit change will address work requirements. Starting June 1, 2026, adults between age 18-64 who do not meet the work requirement exception will have to work (or participate in qualifying work activities) for at least 20 hours per week (or an average of 80 hours per month).
~665,000 individuals will be at risk of losing SNAP/CalFresh benefits. Beginning October 2026, ~55,000 people will be cut from CalFresh, nearing almost 800,000 by September 2027. (Source: CA Association of Food Banks)
Work activities qualified to receive benefits include:
Community service or volunteer work
Qualifying CalFresh Employment & Training (CFET) components
A program under Section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974
The new work requirements do not apply to people who are:
Under age 18 or over age 64
A parent of, or responsible for the care of, a dependent child under the age of 14
Physically or mentally unfit for employment
Pregnant
Identified as Indian, Urban Indian, or California Indian under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA)
Participating in an Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) training program at least half-time
On June 1, the work requirement exemption is immediately eliminated for:
People experiencing homelessness
Individuals under age 24 who aged out of foster care at 18
Veterans
October 2026: SNAP Funding Changes
The third change to SNAP affects how the program administration will be funded. Administrative funding covers the “work” of SNAP: staff, call centers, EBT cards, and maintaining the benefits portal. Historically, SNAP funding has been divided 50/50 between federal and state governments.
Beginning October 1, the federal government will halve its share of administrative costs to run SNAP. This means that the federal government will fund 25% and the state of California will be required to fund the other 75% of CalFresh administrative costs.
Currently, it is unknown how these cost shifts will affect SNAP benefits. What is known is that this is a historic change that will impact the California budget in many ways.
No Matter What Happens, Help is Here
People we see every day will be impacted by upcoming cuts to CalFresh: our neighbors, our friends, our family. Open Heart Kitchen is here to help. In 2025, we distributed almost one million meals to anyone in the Tri-Valley who was struggling with food security. Since our 1995 launch, Open Heart Kitchen has served over 9 million meals. Our mission to provide equitable access to nutritious food will not change.
We are dedicated to our mission of supporting anyone facing hunger. But we can’t do it without the Tri-Valley community. Please consider donating to Open Heart Kitchen. Together, we can fight hunger and build a future where everyone has access to nutritious food and a brighter future.
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