{"id":3623,"date":"2014-09-11T17:47:17","date_gmt":"2014-09-11T17:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/alliance-to-transform-calfresh-for-members-and-advocates\/"},"modified":"2020-11-18T18:47:46","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T18:47:46","slug":"transformcalfresh","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cafoodbanks.org\/zh\/transformcalfresh\/","title":{"rendered":"Alliance to Transform CalFresh: For Members and Advocates"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/figure>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t

NEW!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t

Watch our latest webinar:
\r\n\t\t\t“Zero Churn in CalFresh – New Data, New Solutions to Provide Food and Stability to Families in Need”<\/a><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<\/td>\r\n\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\r\n

The Alliance to Transform Calfresh<\/a> is composed of leading non-profit organizations that have come together to advance an ambitious but pragmatic goal: move California from a 50% participation rate (among the last in the nation) to a 75% participation rate (top ten in the nation) in the next five years. Founding members include the \u52a0\u5dde\u98df\u54c1\u94f6\u884c\u534f\u4f1a<\/a> (CAFB), CA Family Resource Association<\/a>, \u52a0\u5dde\u98df\u54c1\u653f\u7b56\u5021\u5bfc\u8005<\/a>, \u897f\u65b9\u6cd5\u5f8b\u4e0e\u8d2b\u56f0\u4e2d\u5fc3<\/a>\u548c Catholic Charities of CA United<\/a>, in consultation with national leaders \u5582\u517b\u7f8e\u56fd<\/a>, the \u98df\u54c1\u7814\u7a76\u4e0e\u884c\u52a8\u4e2d\u5fc3<\/a>, and the \u9884\u7b97\u548c\u653f\u7b56\u91cd\u70b9\u4e2d\u5fc3<\/a>.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food, Nutrition & Consumer Services; the California Department of Social Services; and the County Welfare Directors Association of California all have briefed the Alliance.   <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Opportunities to Transform CalFresh<\/h1>\r\n\r\n

Five million Californians every day face hunger or the fear of going hungry.  California\u2019s CalFresh \u2013 our State\u2019s name for the federal food stamp program — is a critical support for many of those facing hunger, providing an average of $146.52 per person per month for groceries. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

However, our State\u2019s historically low participation rate \u2013 among the worst in the nation, according to the USDA — means that over 3.6 million people are not receiving the $4.9 billion in federal benefits for which they qualify for food.  This low rate of participation also means that California is losing $8.7 billion in economic activity that CalFresh usage could generate for our state and, in particular, our food and agriculture sectors.1<\/sup><\/a> California also pays among the highest administrative costs in the country, according to the USDA; options to increase cost-effectiveness without compromising service deserve careful consideration.2<\/sup><\/a> <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Recent press has put a spotlight on California\u2019s poor participation rate and some of the solutions urgently needed, including statewide standards for simpler program rules, modern customer service, and connections to health coverage:<\/p>\r\n\r\n