Support Boosting CalFresh Benefits as AB 605 (Arambula) Heads to Assembly Appropriations

Published on Mar 31, 2023 in CalFresh, State Legislation

We are pleased to share that AB 605 (Arambula) the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Expansion, passed out of the Assembly Agriculture Committee today on unanimous consent. Nourish California and SPUR, the bill’s cosponsors, would like to thank supporters of the bill for making your voices heard. Your advocacy means we are one step closer to ensuring the state increases investments to boost CalFresh benefits to help mitigate the harm caused by the CalFresh benefits cliff. Together, we've also moved the program one step closer to becoming a permanent supplement to CalFresh. Thank you.

We would also like to thank Assemblymember Arambula for his leadership on AB 605, and for his ongoing commitment to improving food access for Californians with low income.

What’s next?

Now that the bill has passed it's policy committee hearings in the Assembly, the bill is moving to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Join us in asking the Committee to move the bill on to the Assembly Floor!

Here are three easy ways to support boosting CalFresh benefits:

1) Call and/or Email these key Legislative leaders:

Please also contact your Assemblymember if they are listed below as members of the Appropriations Committee (find your Rep here):

Sample script: 

Hi, my name is _____ and I live in ______. I’m calling to urge Assemblymember ______ to support AB 605, a bill that will boost CalFresh benefits to help people afford the foods they need and want to stay healthy. It will also support California farmers and grocery retailers. Please support AB 605. Thank you. [Or choose one or more of the following reasons or tell them your own]

  • CalFresh benefits were recently cut. AB 605 will help families afford the foods they need. Please support AB 605.
  • AB 605 will help reduce the harm households are facing due to the CalFresh benefits cut.
  • In the long-term, AB 605 will position the program to become permanently available to CalFresh families throughout California
  • No one should go hungry in the great state of California. Food is an essential part of a full and healthy life. AB 605 is a “win-win-win” that reduces hunger, improves public health, and boosts California’s economy.

2) Show your support on social media!

Tweet or post your support and tag key members, especially Assemblymember Holden (@ChrisHoldenNews) and Speaker Rendon (@Rendon63rd).

Sample tweets:

#AB605 will boost CalFresh benefits immediately without any extra forms or hassle for participants. Please support AB 605!  @ChrisHoldenNews @Rendon63rd

Support AB 605, the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Expansion. Fight hunger, improve health, and support California's economy @ChrisHoldenNews @Rendon63rd

AB 605 will bolster households' food budgets immediately and ongoing. The state must use every option to reduce the harm of the CalFresh cuts. Support AB 605! @ChrisHoldenNews @Rendon63rd

3) We are also advancing a state budget request to allocate the funding called for in AB 605.

Click here to read our coalition budget sign-on letter. To add your organization in support of funding the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Expansion, please email your organization's logo to jared@nourishca.org. Thank you!

Background

CalFresh helps more than five million people put food on the table. But federal benefit levels limit purchasing power, especially in the face of California’s relentlessly high cost of living. For the majority of CalFresh participants, benefits do not last through the whole month.

Recognizing the potential for supplemental benefit programs to fight hunger and support California's economy, the state funded the Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot in 2018. Since the pilot was funded, the number of Californians relying on CalFresh has risen by over one million individuals. California can respond to the need for more nutrition assistance by building on the recently launched pilot.

We applaud Assemblymember Arambula's leadership to boost CalFresh and move a major step closer to a statewide supplement benefits program. We need your help to show broad support to the Legislature. You can support AB 605 by joining our campaign and taking one or more of the actions above today!

Questions? Contact: Jared Call at jared@nourishca.org.

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