AB 2153 (Arambula) is headed to its first hearing in the Assembly Human Services Committee.
This urgent bill will expand California Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits to be available to hundreds of thousands of households across the state. This will, in the short-term, help families afford the foods they need to stay healthy, cushion the CalFresh benefits cliff looming as pandemic-era Emergency Allotments expire, and help alleviate the economic strain farmers are currently facing. In the long-term, it will position the program to become permanently available to CalFresh families throughout California. It is a “win-win-win” that reduces hunger, improves public health, and boosts California’s agricultural economy.
Submit a letter of support for AB 2153: The bill may be heard as early as April 4. To be counted, letters of support must be received by the Committee no later than noon, March 25. Don’t wait, submit, yours today!
Click here for a sample letter and directions on how to submit it to the Committee.
Background
Fruit and vegetable supplemental benefit programs, which provide CalFresh participants with matching dollars when they buy California-grown fruits and vegetables, make food more affordable while also supporting California farmers. Numerous organizations have piloted these initiatives, also commonly known as healthy food incentive programs, at grocery stores and farmers’ markets in California. Evaluations from those programs in California, and others nationally, show that they reduce hunger, improve health, and boost the agricultural economy.
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 2153 by joining Nourish California and our co-sponsors, SPUR, in sending in a letter of support today.
What’s next?
Stay up to date on AB 2153 as it advances through the Legislature, and receive timely calls to action to make your voice heard in support of improved CalFresh access. Sign up to receive email updates at our Action Center.
Questions? Contact Jared Call at 323.401.4972, or visit our AB 2153 homepage.
