Can I receive CalFresh/food stamps while on EDD unemployment? Do I report it during certification?

Yes, you can absolutely get CalFresh while on unemployment! I did it last year when I was laid off from my teaching job. CalFresh isn't considered income, so you DON'T report it when certifying for UI. The EDD is only asking about actual earnings from work or other income sources like disability or retirement. Just make sure when you apply for CalFresh that you DO tell them about your unemployment benefits because that counts as income for THEIR program. The application will specifically ask about it. Hope that helps! The extra food money made a huge difference for me while job hunting.

ur good dude i got both rn. calfresh isnt income its assistance so dont worry bout reporting it. my UI is 372/week and i get like 170 in food stamps for me n my kid

To add some clarification to what others have said: 1. CalFresh (SNAP/food stamps) and UI benefits are completely separate programs 2. CalFresh is NOT reported as income when certifying for UI 3. UI benefits ARE reported as income when applying for CalFresh 4. Your CalFresh benefit amount will be calculated based on your UI income and household size 5. In 2025, the income limits for CalFresh are higher than many people think - a single person can earn up to $2,430 monthly gross income and still qualify for some benefits Definitely apply! The process is much easier now with the BenefitsCal website where you can upload verification documents directly.

BE CAREFUL!!!! My brother's friend got BOTH and they cut off his unemployment saying he was committing FRAUD!!! He had to pay back $6,500 and got a penalty week for each week he collected both!!! The EDD is looking to catch people and they will use ANY excuse!!!

When I got laid off from my restaurant job I applied for both right away. CalFresh took like 10 days to get approved and they gave me $255/month which helped SO much. Just remember your EDD card and CalFresh card look kinda similar (both are blue) so don't mix them up when shopping like I did 🤦‍♀️ The cashier thought I was crazy trying to buy wine with a food stamps card lol

I'm currently trying to get through to EDD to fix an issue with my claim that's preventing me from getting any payments. Been calling for DAYS and can't get anyone on the phone. If you're having trouble contacting EDD about your claim while you're waiting on CalFresh approval, I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helps you get through to an EDD representative without spending hours redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km It helped me finally get through last time I had an issue. Just thought I'd mention it since dealing with both programs at once can get complicated if you have questions.

i know this is off topic but does anyone know if medi-cal counts as income for edd?? i just got approved for that too and now im worried about messing up my certification

Just to follow up on your question about whether CalFresh is reduced because of unemployment - yes, typically it is. They use your total income (including UI) to calculate your benefit amount. But even with the reduction, it's still very helpful! I was getting $410 weekly on unemployment and qualified for $173/month in CalFresh as a single person. Without the unemployment income, it would have been the maximum benefit of around $280/month. But having both was still much better than just having unemployment alone. The calculation is pretty complicated with deductions for housing costs and other factors, so your amount might be different based on your specific situation.

I'm in a similar situation - just got laid off from my retail job and my UI benefits are barely covering rent. Reading through these responses is really encouraging! I had no idea you could get both programs at the same time. Quick question for those who've been through the CalFresh application process - how long did it take from application to actually getting the EBT card? I'm hoping to get this sorted out soon since my savings are running low. Also, did anyone have issues because they're actively job searching while on both programs? Thanks for all the helpful info everyone - this community has been a lifesaver during these tough times!

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! You're absolutely right to apply for CalFresh - it's a huge help when unemployment isn't covering everything. The application process was surprisingly smooth for me through the BenefitsCal website. A few tips from my experience: - Make sure you have your EDD award letter ready as proof of income for the CalFresh application - The phone interview was really quick and straightforward - they just verified the info I submitted - I got my EBT card about 2 weeks after applying With $340/week UI and high rent costs, you'll very likely qualify for a decent CalFresh amount. The extra grocery money made such a difference while I was job hunting. Don't let anyone scare you about getting both - they're completely separate programs and meant to work together to help people get back on their feet. Hope this helps and good luck with your job search!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add my experience as someone who's currently on both programs. I was laid off from my office job in January and getting $385/week in UI benefits, which barely covers my rent in the Bay Area. Applied for CalFresh about 3 weeks ago and just got approved for $194/month. The whole process was way less intimidating than I expected! The online application took maybe 30 minutes, and the phone interview was literally just them confirming the information I'd already submitted. One thing I'll add that I haven't seen mentioned - when you do your phone interview for CalFresh, they'll ask you to estimate when your unemployment might end. I was honest and said I hoped to find work within the next few months, and they explained that I just need to report any changes in income (like getting a job) within 10 days. They made it clear that actively job searching while on both programs is totally normal and expected. The peace of mind from having grocery money covered has actually helped me focus better on my job search instead of constantly stressing about every dollar. Definitely apply - you've got nothing to lose and potentially a lot of help to gain!

I want to add my perspective as someone who works in social services - the information shared here is spot on! CalFresh and unemployment benefits are designed to work together, not against each other. These are both safety net programs meant to help people during periods of job loss. A few additional points that might be helpful: - CalFresh benefits are federally protected and cannot be counted as income for other programs - Your local county office can often help you apply for both programs if you need assistance - If your income changes significantly (like finding part-time work), just report it to CalFresh within 10 days as required The fact that you're being proactive about accessing available resources shows you're handling this situation responsibly. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about using programs you've contributed to through your taxes. That's exactly what they're there for! Best of luck with both your applications and your job search. You've got this! 💪

Hey Chad! I'm in a really similar boat - got laid off from my warehouse job about 6 weeks ago and my UI is only covering about 60% of my expenses. I was hesitant to apply for CalFresh at first because I wasn't sure how it would work with unemployment, but after reading through all these responses I'm definitely going to apply now. The key points that convinced me: - CalFresh is NOT reported as income when you certify for UI (huge relief!) - You DO report your UI income when applying for CalFresh - The two programs are completely separate and designed to work together - Even with UI income reducing the CalFresh amount, it's still significant help I'm planning to gather my EDD award letter and other documents this weekend and submit the application through BenefitsCal. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the process is much more straightforward than dealing with EDD was! Thanks for asking this question - this whole thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. Good luck with your application!

I'm really glad you asked this question because I was wondering the exact same thing! I got laid off from my retail job three weeks ago and have been stressed about making ends meet on just unemployment. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful and reassuring. The consistent message seems to be that CalFresh and UI are completely separate programs that are designed to work together. It's such a relief to know that CalFresh benefits don't need to be reported when certifying for unemployment - that was my biggest worry about potentially messing something up. I'm definitely going to start my CalFresh application this week. With rent being $1200/month and only getting $320/week in UI, I really need the extra help with groceries. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the BenefitsCal website makes the process pretty straightforward. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines. This community has been incredibly helpful during such a stressful time. It's good to know there are resources available and people willing to help each other navigate these programs!

Just wanted to add another success story to help ease anyone's concerns! I was laid off from my manufacturing job in December and have been on both UI ($365/week) and CalFresh ($189/month) since January with absolutely zero issues. The application process was honestly easier than I expected - took about 20 minutes online and the phone interview was just 10 minutes of them confirming basic info. Got my EBT card in the mail about 12 days later. One thing that really helped me was calling my local county office when I had questions during the application. The caseworker was super helpful and walked me through exactly what documents I needed. She confirmed that lots of people use both programs simultaneously and it's completely normal. The extra grocery money has been a lifesaver while job hunting. Instead of stressing about every dollar spent on food, I can focus my energy on interviews and applications. That's exactly what these safety net programs are designed to do - help you get back on your feet without worrying about basic necessities. Don't hesitate to apply if you're on the fence. You've earned these benefits through your work history and tax contributions!

I'm in a very similar situation - just got laid off from my job at a distribution center two weeks ago and my UI benefits are $315/week, which barely covers rent let alone food and other expenses. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring! I was really worried about potentially messing up my unemployment certification by applying for other assistance, but it's clear from all these responses that CalFresh and UI are designed to work together. The fact that CalFresh doesn't count as income for EDD purposes is such a relief to know. I'm planning to start my CalFresh application this weekend using the BenefitsCal website. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like having my EDD award letter ready will be key, and the whole process should take a couple weeks from application to getting the EBT card. Thanks so much for asking this question Chad - this thread has been a goldmine of practical information from people who've actually been through both programs. It's given me the confidence to move forward with applying instead of continuing to struggle on just unemployment alone. The warehouse/logistics industry layoffs have been rough lately, but at least we have these resources available while we get back on our feet!

I'm so grateful for this thread! I just got laid off from my job at a food processing plant last week and have been really anxious about how I'm going to make ends meet. My UI benefits are only $298/week which doesn't even cover my rent fully, let alone groceries and utilities. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I had no idea you could use CalFresh and unemployment together - I was actually worried it might be against the rules or something. The fact that so many people have successfully navigated both programs without any issues gives me a lot of confidence to apply. The key takeaways that really helped me understand this: - CalFresh is NOT reported as income when certifying for UI benefits - UI benefits ARE reported as income when applying for CalFresh - Both programs are designed to work together as safety net assistance - The BenefitsCal website makes the application process pretty straightforward I'm going to gather my EDD award letter and other documents this weekend and start the CalFresh application. Based on everyone's timelines, it sounds like I should have the EBT card within a couple weeks, which would be such a huge relief. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's made all the difference in helping me understand that using these programs together is not only allowed but exactly what they're designed for. This community support during such a stressful time means everything!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation and want to thank everyone for sharing their experiences! I got laid off from my warehouse job about a month ago and have been really stressed about making my UI benefits ($327/week) stretch to cover everything. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea CalFresh and unemployment were designed to work together like this. I was actually scared to apply for food assistance because I thought it might somehow interfere with my UI benefits, but it's clear from everyone's experiences that these are completely separate programs. The timeline information has been super helpful too. It sounds like the BenefitsCal application process is pretty straightforward and takes about 10-14 days from application to getting the EBT card. I'm going to gather my EDD award letter this weekend and start the application. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone have issues if their UI claim had any complications or delays? My claim had some initial issues that took a few weeks to resolve, but it's been smooth for the past month. I'm hoping that won't affect the CalFresh application since I now have a steady award letter showing my weekly benefit amount. Thanks again to everyone who took the time to share their real experiences. This community support makes navigating these programs so much less intimidating!

I'm in almost the exact same situation as you Chad! Just got laid off from my warehouse job at the beginning of this month and my UI benefits are $352/week, which barely covers my rent and car payment. I've been really hesitant about applying for CalFresh because I was worried it might somehow mess up my unemployment certification. But after reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm convinced that I need to stop overthinking this and just apply. The consistent message from everyone who's actually been through both programs is that they're completely separate and designed to work together. The fact that CalFresh doesn't count as income for EDD purposes is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm planning to use the BenefitsCal website this weekend and get my EDD award letter ready like everyone suggested. It's such a relief to know that this is not only allowed but totally normal - I was honestly feeling kind of guilty about considering food assistance, but you're right that these are programs we've contributed to through our work. Thanks for asking this question and getting such an amazing discussion going. This thread has probably helped dozens of people in similar situations feel more confident about accessing the help they need. The warehouse industry has been brutal lately with all these layoffs, but at least we have these resources while we get back on our feet!

I just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I was laid off from my distribution center job about 6 weeks ago and have been on both UI ($334/week) and CalFresh ($182/month) for the past month with zero complications. The application process was honestly much smoother than I expected. I used the BenefitsCal website and it took about 25 minutes to complete. The phone interview was super quick - maybe 8 minutes of just confirming the information I'd already submitted online. Got my EBT card exactly 11 days after submitting the application. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're worried about the phone interview, don't be! The caseworker was really friendly and explained that they see unemployment + CalFresh combinations all the time. She actually said it's one of the most common situations they process, especially with all the recent layoffs in manufacturing and logistics. The peace of mind from having grocery costs covered has been huge. Instead of calculating every dollar at the store, I can actually focus my energy on job applications and interviews. That's exactly what these programs are designed to do - give you breathing room to get back on your feet. To anyone still on the fence about applying: these are benefits you've earned through your work history. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about using the safety net you've contributed to. The warehouse and logistics industries have been hit hard lately, but we'll get through this! 💪