The federal government’s implementation of work requirements for those receiving CalFresh food benefits went into effect Monday, and the new rules are going to affect 19,917 people in San Joaquin County, the county’s Human Services Agency said.
That’s 16% of the more than 118,000 recipients in the program, Deputy Director Dawn McLeish said.
“We’re going to screen everybody. We will work with them on how to become compliant,” she said.
Those affected won’t be called in right away. Rather, they will be directed to meet with eligibility staff when it’s time to renew their benefits.
The new rules stem from a provision in the Trump administration’s Big Beautiful Bill, which passed Congress with overwhelming Republican support last year.
Nationwide, it requires anyone between the ages of 18 and 64 to register and show they have a job or community service in order to receive full benefits in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In California, the program is called CalFresh.
Requirements for eligibility now include working an average of 20 hours each week or earning at least $217.50 per week before taxes in order to keep full benefits, according to the California Department of Social Services.
There are exceptions. Pregnant people, those medically certified as physically or mentally unable to work or those who care for dependent children are exempt from the new work requirements. There are also exceptions for those receiving unemployment benefits, going to school or in training programs at least half time, the department says.
Still, the change could place a new burden on local food pantries, including Stockton’s Emergency Food Bank. The agency hands out boxes of food twice a month to any San Joaquin County resident; there are no other requirements.
It likely will mean the food bank will have to scramble yet again to try to meet demand. Last fall, it was short of food due to cuts in programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The group expects the same kind of impact it saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, with long lines of cars of people in need, said Alesha Pichler, community relations manager for the Emergency Food Bank.
The food pantry is already straining from demand. Last week, more than 700 people lined up in their vehicles to get a box of food, Pichler said. That was a record for what’s known as “Commodity Day,” a special program that allows people to get an extra day of donated staples.
“Our warehouse director is on the phone constantly reaching out to local grocery stores and warehouses, seeing if anything can be donated,” Pichler said.