3.2 million California households receive monthly payments from CalFresh benefits, the local equivalent (and subordinate) program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is administered from Washington, DC, by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The CalFresh initiative distributes electronic benefits through EBT cards to cover basic food needs. Beneficiaries can generally purchase fresh, canned, shelf-stable, and related foods at USDA-accepted stores and supermarkets in California.
New fiscal year begins: CalFresh comes with increases
By October 2025, which begins fiscal year 2026, payments will incorporate the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture based on the CPI-W price index, which measures the price increases for products and services that impact the pocketbooks of American households.
This adjustment, effective October 1, raises the maximum amounts by an average of 2.1% compared to the previous fiscal year, reflecting a 2.7% increase in food prices reported by the USDA between June 2024 and June 2025.
Final data on the increase is not yet available, so the figure is merely an estimate. We must wait for the final figure and use these preliminary figures as an estimate.
Data from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) indicates that this change will directly benefit households with incomes below 130% of the federal poverty level, prioritizing families with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
CalFresh payment dates for October
CalFresh payment dates are determined by the last digit of the case number given to the recipient when their food stamp application was approved:
Available after 5 a.m. based on the last digit of the case:
- Ending in 1: Wednesday, October 1
- Ending in 2: Thursday, October 2
- Ending in 3: Friday, October 3
- Ending in 4: Saturday, October 4
- Ending in 5: Sunday, October 5
- Ending in 6: Monday, October 6
- Ending in 7: Tuesday, October 7
- Ending in 8: Wednesday, October 8
- Ending in 9: Thursday, October 9
- Ending in 0: Friday, October 10
After the COLA increase: CalFresh highest since October
Beginning in October 2025, CalFresh maximum benefit amounts incorporate the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for fiscal year 2026, based on the USDA’s Budget Food Plan. For one-person households, the monthly maximum is $298, up $6 from $292 for the previous fiscal year.
For two-person households, the maximum is set at $546, up $10 from the previous $536, assuming shared consumption and economies of scale. For three-person households, the maximum reaches $785, up $14 from the previous $771, focusing on family diets with an emphasis on child nutrition.
Moving to larger households, for four people, the limit is $994 per month, an increase of $18 compared to $976 in FY 2025; for households of five, the maximum amount rises to $1,183, up $21 from the previous $1,162; for six people, it is set at $1,421, up $25 from $1,396.
For large families, households of seven receive a maximum of $1,571, $28 more than the $1,543 received last year, mitigating costs in areas with specific inflation in processed foods. Finally, for eight people, the cap reaches $1,789, up $32 from $1,757, emphasizing sustainability in tight budgets for large groups. These adjustments reflect progressive increases based on household size, ensuring coverage aligned with rising food prices.
