CalFresh Outreach

To be qualified as a student in the CalFresh program, you must:

• Be between the ages of 18-49 years 
• Are physically and mentally “fit” for employment.
• Enrolled at least half-time (6 units or more).

CalFresh Student status also requires the student meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in an educational program that has an approved employment and training component to increase employability for CalFresh.
  • Learn more about approved Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE) in the CalFresh Approved Major list below.
• Be a single parent or guardian of child/children under the age of 12.
• Be a part-time student with a child age 6-11 without adequate childcare.
• Be awarded or eligible for Federal/State Work Study (per Financial Aid package).
• Be awarded Cal Grant A or B (per Financial Aid package).
• Be enrolled in CalFresh employment and training or another job training program accepted by CalFresh; (EOPS, Guardian Scholars, etc.).
• Be currently receiving CalWORKS or Medi-Cal benefits.
• Be employed or self-employed at least 20 hours per week or 80 hours per month.

These are some general questions to consider before applying for CalFresh:

• How many people do you purchase and prepare food with?

• Based on your household size, are you under the gross monthly income limit? Please refer to the chart below.

• Does your household include at least one US citizen, a person with a Green Card, or lawful permanent resident (LPR)?

• Does anyone in your household receive the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)?

• Is anyone in your household provided less than half (10 or less) meals per week from another source (like a campus meal plan)? Please note that Santa Monica College does not have any meal plans.

• Is anyone in household physically/mentally unable to work and/or is receiving disability benefits from any source?

• Is anyone in household a college student per CalFresh Food guide-lines: enrolled at least half-time (6 units) and between ages of 18-49? If so, do any of the following situations apply to you?

  • Enrolled in an educational program that has an approved employment and training component to increase employability for CalFresh.
    • Learn more about approved Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE) in the CalFresh Approved Major list below.
  • Single parent or guardian of child/children under the age of 12.
  • A part-time student with a child age 6-11 without adequate childcare.
  • Awarded or eligible for Federal/State Work Study (per Financial Aid package).
  • Awarded Cal Grant A or B (per Financial Aid package).
  • Enrolled in CalFresh employment and training or another job training program accepted by CalFresh; (EOPS, Guardian Scholars, etc.).
  • Currently receiving CalWORKS or Medi-Cal benefits.
  • Employed or self-employed at least 20 hours per week or 80 hours per month.

Apply for CalFresh (opens in new window) Request Application Assistance (opens in new window)  

If you live with your parents or guardians, and are age 21 or younger, you are required to include your parents on the application.

If you are age 22 or above living with your parents or guardians and do not purchase and share food with them, you may be able to apply for CalFresh on your own.

If you live with roommates, you will need to include them on the application if you purchase and share food with any of them.

The short answer is: it depends.

If a household has at least one person, including children, who is eligible for CalFresh, then benefits may be approved.

If you are a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR; and also known as green card holders) you may be eligible for CalFresh. 

People who have Refugee status, a U-Visa, or a T-Visa may be eligible for CalFresh.

If you are an international student on an F-1 visa, unfortunately you are not likely to be eligible for CalFresh, but there may be other food supports available to you.

Students who are undocumented may not be eligible, but there are other food supports available to you. If you have at least one eligible person in your household, the household may be approved for CalFresh.

There are many conditions and verifications covering a range of circumstances, but it is always okay to apply (opens in new window) for benefits and let them work with you to cover all those situations.

If you are concerned that applying to CalFresh will be considered a "public charge" at a later time, there is guidance from the state and federal government (opens in new window) to refer to.

There is a Restaurant Meals Program (opens in new window) in CalFresh that allows people to use their CalFresh benefits at participating restaurants. Only people under certain circumstances are eligible.

Those conditions are at least one of the following:

• an adult aged 60 or older.

• a person with a disability.

• the spouse of an individual that belongs to one of the above categories.

• a person experiencing homelessness.

Contact your CalFresh eligibility worker to report those conditions.

SMC can assist with submitting documents including the SAR7 renewal, submitting verifications, help with CalFresh interview preparation, and help reapply if necessary.

SMC does not determine eligibility for CalFresh. That is solely done by the county eligibility office.

SMC can assist students with submitting verifications and renewals

SMC does not determine eligibility for CalFresh, CalWORKS, General Relief (GR) or Medi-Cal. That is solely done by the appropriate service's office.

You can contact the LA County Department of Social Services (DPSS) by going to BenefitsCal.com (opens in new window) or call their customer service line at 866-613-3777. Assistance at DPSS is available in multiple languages.

You can meet with CalFresh Outreach staff at SMC during office hours (see above) or request an appointment.

You can contact the LA County Department of Social Services (DPSS) by going to BenefitsCal.com (opens in new window) or call their customer service line at 866-613-3777. Assistance at DPSS is available in multiple languages.

• 2D Animation
• 3D Animation
• 3D Production
• Animation
• Animation Foundation
• Architecture
• Architecture and Interior Design Digital Production
• Art
• Broadcast Programming and Production
• Cosmetology
• Dance
• Digital Audio Post-Production
• Digital Media
• Digital Media Foundation
• Digital Publishing
• Digital Video Post-Production
• Entertainment Promotion and Marketing Production
• Esthetician
• Fashion Design
• Film Production
• Graphic Design
• Interior Architectural Design
• Interior Architectural Design Fundamentals
• Journalism
• Music
• Nail Care
• Photography
• Technical Theatre
• Theatre
• Visual Development
• Website Creator
• Website Development Management
• Website Software Specialist

• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Business Information Specialist
• Business Information Worker - Data Analytics Applications
• Business Information Worker 1
• Business Information Worker 2
• Business
• Computer Business Applications
• CPA Track
• Entrepreneurship
• Entry Level Business Information Assistant
• Fashion Merchandising
• General Office
• Insurance Professional
• Insurance Specialist
• International Business
• Legal Administrative Assistant
• Legal Office Clerk
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Management and Leadership
• Marketing
• Quickbooks Virtual Enterprise
• Receptionist
• Sales and Promotion
• Salon Business
• Small Business Tax Practice
• Social Media Assistant
• Staff Accountant

• African and Middle Eastern Studies
• Asian Studies
• ESL for College and Career Pathways
• Ethnic Studies
• European Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Liberal Arts: Arts and Humanities

• Child and Adolescent Development
• Early Childhood Education Master Teacher
• Early Childhood Studies
• Early Intervention and Special Education Assistant
• Elementary Teacher Education
• Infant and Toddler Teacher
• Nature-based Pedagogy
• Transition to College and Career
• Transitional Kindergarten

• Athletic Coaching
• LVN to ADN
• Medical Laboratory Technician
• Medical Office Clerk
• Nurse Assistant Pre-Certification Training Program
• Registered Nursing
• Respiratory Care

• Administration of Justice
• Anthropology
• Environmental Studies
• Global Studies
• Public Policy
• Social Justice Studies, Gender Studies
• Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

• Cloud Computing
• Computer Science
• Data Science
• Database Applications Developer
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• General Science
• Recycling and Resource Management
• Solar Photovoltaic Installation
• System Administrator
• Web Developer

• Advanced English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Beginning English as a Second Language (ESL)
• ESL for College and Career Pathways
• Home Health Aide Pre-Certification Program
• Intermediate English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Introduction to Working with Older Adults
• Low Advanced ESL
• Low Intermediate ESL
• Nurse Assistance Pre-Certification Training Program
• Receptionist
• Sustainability Assistant
• Sustainability in Organics Aide
• Sustainability Services Technician
• Transition to College and Career