When does LA County issue CalFresh emergency allotments in 2025?

The emergency allotments that gave extra CalFresh benefits every month ended in March 2023 after the COVID-19 public health emergency officially ended. LA County no longer issues monthly emergency allotments like they did during the pandemic. What you're receiving now is your standard benefit amount based on your household size, income, and expenses. However, there are still a few situations where you might get extra benefits in LA County: 1. Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh) during declared disasters 2. Transitional benefits if you're coming off CalWORKs 3. Retroactive benefits if there was an underpayment error 4. Supplemental benefits if your circumstances change mid-certification period If you're struggling with your current benefit amount, I'd recommend reporting any changes in your household expenses (especially housing and childcare costs) as these can increase your monthly amount.

The regular covid extras ARE OVER no matter what anyone tells you!!! I've been on CalFresh for 6 years in LA County and they stopped all emergency allotments in March 2023. Anyone saying different is confused or lying. The system is RIGGED to give us as little as possible while everything costs more!!! What you CAN do is make sure they count ALL your expenses when calculating benefits. Most people don't know they can deduct child care costs, medical expenses for seniors/disabled family members, and the full amount of rent/utilities. LA County workers WON'T tell you this stuff unless you specifically ask!!!

I work as a benefits navigator for a nonprofit in LA County. As others mentioned, the emergency allotments from the pandemic period have ended. However, there are a few things you can do to potentially increase your regular benefits: 1. Submit a SAR7 form immediately if you've had any decrease in income or increase in expenses. You don't have to wait for your regular reporting period to report changes that could increase your benefits. 2. Make sure ALL household expenses are documented, especially housing costs, childcare expenses, and medical expenses for elderly or disabled household members. 3. Check if you qualify for any utility allowances (SUA, LUA, or TUA) which can increase your benefit amount. 4. If someone in your household is elderly (60+) or disabled, make sure that's correctly noted in your case as there are additional deductions available. If you're struggling with food insecurity despite receiving CalFresh, I also recommend contacting 211 LA County for referrals to food pantries in your area.

LA County doesn't give extra food stamps anymore since the pandemic emergency ended. I was so bummed when they stopped that! I got $250 extra each month during COVID and now it's back to the regular amount which doesn't go nearly as far with food prices. BTW has anyone else noticed that the EBT system has been really glitchy lately? My benefits were late last month and when I called the EBT customer service line they said it was a system problem affecting lots of people. Just wondering if other LA people experienced this too?

If you need to talk to someone at LA County DPSS about possibly getting more benefits, I'd recommend using Claimyr. Trying to reach LA County DPSS by phone is nearly impossible these days with their call volumes. I spent 3 weeks trying to get through before someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to a live person at DPSS without waiting on hold for hours. They call DPSS for you and then connect you once they reach a live person. I used it last month when I had an issue with my recertification and got through in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying. They have a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their website is claimyr.com Worth checking out if you need to discuss your specific case and options for increased benefits.

To answer the question about benefit increases - yes, there is an annual adjustment to CalFresh benefit amounts based on the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan calculations. For 2025, there was approximately a 3.6% increase implemented on October 1, 2024. This is the normal annual adjustment, not an emergency or special increase. If you haven't seen this adjustment reflected in your benefits yet, it could be because your certification period started before October 2024. In that case, the new amount would be calculated at your next recertification or SAR7 processing.

i just wanted to add that my cousin works for the food bank and she said lots more people coming in since those emergency food stamps ended. if ur family needs extra food u should check out the food banks. they dont ask many questions and u can go even if u get calfresh. they have produce and meat sometimes too not just canned stuff. just google LA food bank locations and they will tell u where to go based on ur zip code

One more thing to note - while the regular emergency allotments have ended, LA County does occasionally issue one-time supplements during specific circumstances. For example, during the extended power outages last summer, some CalFresh recipients received replacement benefits for food lost due to refrigeration issues. Also, if you experience a major household change that significantly decreases your income (job loss, reduction in hours, someone leaving the household), report it immediately rather than waiting for your next SAR7. LA County is required to process these changes within 10 days and adjust your benefits accordingly. This isn't "extra" benefits, but it does ensure you're receiving the maximum amount you're eligible for based on your current situation.