Take Action! Tell State Budget Leaders to Fund the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension

Published on May 25, 2023 in CalFresh, State Legislation

We are pleased to share that the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension budget request was included in the Assembly budget package at $10 million one-time funding. Nourish California and SPUR, the bill’s cosponsors, would like to thank supporters of the budget request 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 and Senator Wiener for their leadership on the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension, and for their ongoing commitment to improving food access for Californians with low income.

What’s next?

Now is the time to take action! Assembly and Senate budget leaders are meeting now to finalize the Legislature’s budget package for negotiations with the Governor.

We need your help to ensure the Senate and Assembly are aligned in support, and the Governor also supports funding for the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension. Don’t wait, make your voice heard today in support of increasing CalFresh benefits now.

1) Call and/or Email these key State Budget leaders:

Governor Gavin Newsom (916) 445-2841
Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins (916) 651-4039
Senate Budget Committee Chair Nancy Skinner (916) 651-4009
Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon (916) 319-2062
Assembly Budget Committee Chair Phil Ting Tel: (916) 319-2019

Sample script:

Hi, my name is _____ and I live in ______. I’m calling to urge the Governor/Assemblymember/Senator ______ to support the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension passed by the Assembly in the final state budget package. This urgent and impactful investment 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 include funding in the final state budget. Thank you. [Or choose one or more of the following reasons or tell them your own]

CalFresh benefits were recently cut. Funding the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension will help families afford the foods they need. Please support the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension in the state budget.
The CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension will help reduce the harm households are facing due to the CalFresh benefits cut.
No one should go hungry in the great state of California. Food is an essential part of a full and healthy life. The CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension 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 budget leaders.

Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAGovernor)
Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins (@SenToniAtkins)
Senate Budget Committee Chair Nancy Skinner (@NancySkinnerCA)
Assembly Speaker Rendon (@Rendon63rd).
Assembly Budget Committee Chair Phil Ting (@PhilTing)

Sample tweets:

The CalFresh Fruit & Veggie Pilot extension will boost CalFresh benefits immediately without any extra forms or hassle for participants. Please support the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension! @CAGovernor @SenToniAtkins @NancySkinnerCA @Rendon63rd @PhilTing

Support the CalFresh Fruit & Veggie Pilot Extension to address the hunger cliff, improve health, and support California's economy @CAGovernor @SenToniAtkins @NancySkinnerCA @Rendon63rd @PhilTing

The CalFresh Fruit & Veggie Pilot Extension will bolster households' food budgets immediately and ongoing. The state must use every option to reduce the harm of the CalFresh cuts. Plz support! @CAGovernor @SenToniAtkins @NancySkinnerCA @Rendon63rd @PhilTing

3) Add your organization to our budget sign-on letter.

Click here to read our coalition budget sign-on letter. To add your organization in support of funding the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable Pilot Extension, 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 and Senator Wiener'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 and Governor. You can support the campaign by taking one or more of the actions above today! Thank you!

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