City Government

Mayor London Breed Announces Expansion of Calfresh Food Assistance Program

Published

7 years ago

June 13, 2019

Mayor London Breed has announced that San Francisco has implemented an expansion of the CalFresh food assistance program to alleviate hunger for thousands living on low and fixed incomes. For the first time, 41,000 seniors and people with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) benefits are eligible for CalFresh.

CalFresh benefits supplement household budgets, allowing individuals and families to afford nutritious food, including vegetables, fruits, and other healthy options. The benefit amount depends on household income, and can range up to $192 per person each month. All newly eligible San Franciscans are encouraged to apply for benefits, and applying for CalFresh will not change or reduce their existing SSI/SSP benefits.

“CalFresh is our first line of defense against hunger for our city’s residents, and everyone deserves access to healthy, nutritious food,” said Breed. “This new expansion of the CalFresh program will help more of our seniors and people with disabilities purchase the food they need to live healthy lives.”

“Each day in our communities, too many people are sacrificing buying nutritious foods to cover expenses like rent and medicine,” said Anni Chung, President and Chief Executive Officer of Self-Help for the Elderly. “CalFresh gives more freedom to people with limited incomes to buy what they need to live healthier lifestyles.”

The San Francisco Human Services Agency (HSA) will support the influx of new CalFresh applicants through expanded community outreach efforts and eligibility enrollment staff. In the coming months, HSA will offer enrollment events and application assistance training to community organizations, housing and health care providers that serve people who receive SSI. For more information, visit: http://www.SFHSA.org/Calfresh

How to Apply for CalFresh

There are three ways to connect with the San Francisco Human Services Agency to apply for CalFresh:

Online: Visit www.GetCalFresh.org

By Phone: Start your application by calling (415) 558-4700

In Person: Come in to an HSA service center in San Francisco, open Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm:

· 1235 Mission St.

· 1440 Harrison St.

· 2 Gough St.

Providing support to complete an application online is the most convenient way for community partners, caregivers and families to help SSI recipients apply for and receive CalFresh benefits.

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Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

Published

19 hours ago

July 27, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2026

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From Disparity Study to Solutions: Oakland Coalition and Mayor Barbara Lee Renew Commitment to Reform City Contracting

She committed to ensuring the coalition has direct access to City leadership by designating Assistant Deputy City Administrator Chuck Baker the primary liaison. Working alongside Deputy City Administrator Sofia Navarro, DWES Director Emylene Aspilla, Race and Equity Director Darlene Flynn, and other City departments, the coalition will continue advancing these priorities while maintaining regular communication with City leadership.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Present at the recent meeting on implementing recommendations on Oakland’s Disparity Study on city work contracts were (first row, l. to r.): Chuck Baker, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Darlene Flynn. Second row, l. to r.) Samuel Adams, Erica Astrella, Chadwick Spell, Cathy Adams, Stanley Cooper, Maria Wagner, Len Turner, Derek Barnes, Paul Cobb. Photo courtesy of Oakland Mayor’s Office.

Special to The Post

On June 30, a coalition of minority business leaders, contractors and others met with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to discuss the City’s commitment to implement recommendations outlined in Oakland’s Disparity Study and eliminate barriers that have historically prevented Black and minority-owned businesses from fully participating in public contracting opportunities.

Representatives of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC), National Association of Minority Contractors Northern California (NAMC NorCal), Construction Resource Center (CRC), and the East Bay Rental Housing Association (EBRHA) said the meeting represented an important milestone in a process that has been underway for several months.

On April 21, the Oakland City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee received a progress report from the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards (DWES), where Director Emylene Aspilla presented the coalition’s working document and outlined a collaborative implementation plan between the coalition and the City. That report established 30-, 60-, and 90-day objectives focused on five key priorities:

Reforming Local and Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) waiver practices
Strengthening prompt payment compliance
Improving procurement forecasting and transparency
Expanding contractor capacity building and business development
Increasing oversight, accountability, and public reporting

A series of working sessions was scheduled between coalition representatives, DWES, and the City Administrator’s Office to begin implementing those priorities but were temporarily delayed by the resignation of former City Administrator Jestin Johnson.

Rather than allowing that momentum to stall, OAACC President and CEO Cathy Adams requested a meeting with Lee to gain clarity on the City’s direction and reaffirm its commitment to implementing the recommendations contained within the Disparity Study.

Coalition leaders described the meeting as productive, candid, collaborative, and encouraging.

During the meeting, Lee spoke not only from her role as mayor but also from her experience as an 8(a) contractor and business owner, sharing that she understands firsthand what it takes to build and grow a successful company, employ a substantial workforce, compete for public work, and navigate the complexities of municipal contracting.

Mayor Lee also expressed her commitment to personally participate in future working meetings with the coalition.

“This meeting represents a renewed commitment to partnership,” said Adams. “Mayor Lee listened, engaged, and demonstrated that she wants to move beyond conversation and into implementation.”

CRC’s Len Turner said the roadmap is already in place. ““The City already has the evidence. What’s been missing is execution. …Now it’s time to deliver results.”

Mario Wagner, president of NAMC NorCal agreed that the next phase must focus on implementation, funding, and accountability.

“The coalition is ready to get to work. …The next step is ensuring these initiatives receive meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle. Just as important, the City must establish transparent reporting mechanisms that keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and accountability.”

Coalition leaders also acknowledged that while City leadership has indicated it is reviewing Local and Small Local Business Enterprise waiver practices, the community continues to seek a formal response regarding existing long-term waivers, including waivers extending 10 and 25 years. The coalition believes those waivers should be comprehensively reviewed and, where appropriate, rolled back as part of the City’s broader contracting reforms.

The coalition is also calling on the City to include meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle to support implementation of the Disparity Study recommendations and establish better methods and mechanisms to keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and transparent accountability.

The coalition’s immediate next step is to schedule a working meeting with Baker, Aspilla, Lee, and the appropriate City staff to review what has already been accomplished under the implementation framework.