Assemblymember Alex Lee Secures $20 Million To Restart the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program

• Nicholas Chan
• Communications Director, Office of Assemblymember Alex Lee
• (916) 319-2392
• [email protected]

The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program has served hundreds of thousands of families, making healthy food more affordable for low-income Californians. But the program paused at the end of June due to the lack of funding. Now, Assemblymember Alex Lee has secured $20 million in the 2026-2027 state budget to restart the successful program.

"Our renewed investment in the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program will ensure low-income families have access to healthy and affordable food," said Assemblymember Lee, Chair of the Human Services Committee. "At a time when the federal government is gutting our social services, the program has been crucial to combating food insecurity statewide. It serves as a national model for reducing hunger, delivering real dollars back into the pockets of over half a million people. I am proud to secure $20 million for this important program, and I will continue to fight for investments to strengthen our social safety nets."

Since launching in 2023, the program has served over 546,000 Californians, providing more than $44 million in rebates by the end of May 2026. The program operates at 91 grocery stores and one farmers' market. For every $1 of CalFresh benefits spent on any fresh fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer, CalFresh recipients receive an instant $1 rebate on their EBT card to spend on any CalFresh-eligible food for up to $60/month.

The new funding for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program comes at a time of urgent need. The federal budget bill H.R. 1 will reduce or entirely cut off countless families from their CalFresh benefits. For instance, H.R. 1 policy changes that took effect in November 2025 are projected to reduce monthly benefits by an average of $39 for hundreds of thousands of CalFresh recipients. It also disqualifies humanitarian immigrants from CalFresh, impacting roughly 34,000 people. In addition, H.R. 1's expanded work requirements are expected to put over half a million Californians at risk of losing food assistance.

CalFresh, federally known as SNAP, is one of the most important tools to tackle hunger, serving over 5 million people statewide. It kept over 850,000 Californians out of poverty in 2023, and government food assistance programs like SNAP have played a crucial role in reducing severe hunger and malnutrition nationwide.

However, even before H.R. 1, CalFresh families often struggled to afford the full cost of groceries. For a two-person household, the maximum monthly CalFresh benefits is $546, and most recipients deplete their benefits before the end of the month. With the cost of living continuing to skyrocket, it is more important than ever to extend extra food benefits for California's lowest-income families.

Over the last three years, Assemblymember Lee has secured a total of $66 million for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program. As a scalable and effective solution to reducing food insecurity, the program has served as a model for initiatives from coast to coast, including Colorado, Rhode Island and Washington.

Advocates released the following statements in support of the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program and the new state funding:

"We are grateful to California legislative leaders and Governor Newsom for supporting the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program in the next budget cycle," said Lena Brook, Deputy Director of Fullwell. "This $20 million in program funding will help bridge the significant gap created by H.R. 1 spending cuts, and ensure that California's most vulnerable populations are able to afford the nutritious food they need and want. Given that low-income Californians are facing unprecedented economic challenges, this investment in our nutrition safety net could not have come at a better time."

"It is vital that Governor Newsom and the Legislature are making groceries more affordable for California families," said Michelle Lee, Policy Advocate with Nourish California. "The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is a resounding success in mitigating hunger, promoting health and well-being, and supporting our agricultural economy. We heard from thousands of community members about its importance, and are thankful that state leaders prioritized the voices of impacted Californians. However, this funding comes at a time of harsh cuts to our safety nets, and our leaders must continue to push back against the harmful actions of the federal administration. We will continue to work with state leaders to build a future where all Californians have access to fresh fruits and vegetables."