Share why the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable EBT Program is important to you and your community, or add one of the talking points below:

• The passage of H.R. 1 will worsen hunger and threaten the wellbeing of Californians. While the federal administration withholds support for critical programs that communities rely on, our state leaders can proactively step up to build a more robust safety net that ensures families across California have sufficient resources to put nutritious food on the table. We must build a budget that adequately invests in the wellbeing of all Californians.
  
• Food insecurity is expected to rise across the state, leaving Californians to have to make difficult financial choices. 30% of Californians report that they or someone in their household have cut back on food to save money in the past year. Additionally, food prices rose by about 30% between July 2019 and July 2025. This increase in food costs adds strain on families, forcing them to make challenging decisions about how to afford their basic necessities.
  
• CalFresh benefits often don’t last the full month for many families. 1 in 3 US households use up nearly all of their SNAP/CalFresh benefits within the first week. More than half (60%) use up almost all of their benefits within the first two weeks. Especially in states like California that have a high cost of living, initiatives like the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable EBT Program are essential in alleviating hardship and increasing access to food.
  
• The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program gives CalFresh participants the ability to prioritize their health and well-being while grocery shopping, as it helps make fresh fruits and vegetables more affordable. Program participants can choose any fresh fruits or vegetables that fits their family’s needs and preferences, and use their fruit & veggie supplemental benefits at any retail locations that accept CalFresh, while receiving rebates back to help stretch their grocery budgets. By providing a dollar-for-dollar rebate when benefits are spent on fruits and vegetables, families have more funds available to spend on other EBT-eligible items.
  
• This program is widely popular amongst the communities that are currently served. In a survey of program participants, the overwhelming majority of survey respondents report that they are able to buy more fruits and vegetables due to this program, and believe the program better supports their family’s health.
  
• Although the program has been able to positively impact tens of thousands of CalFresh families across the state, we also continue to hear from community members about the need to expand the program to additional areas throughout the state. Additional funding would ensure that the CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable EBT Program could operate year-around without interruptions and expand into areas of California that currently have no participating retailers.