CalFresh, California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), was second nature for Stephany Rosales when she was growing up.
“I actually have been a CalFresh recipient since I was 18,” said Rosales, who’s now a sociology major at Cal Poly Pomona.
Reaching the university hasn’t been easy. She entered the foster care system when she was about 5 years old. A couple of years ago she transferred from nearby Mt. San Antonio College. But her first semester at Cal Poly Pomona was a struggle. She was homeless, but CalFresh provided a stability with food that she didn’t have with housing.
“The CalFresh benefits have helped me maintain my focus on my academic success, rather than have to continuously worry about what I’m going to eat or my basic necessities,” Rosales said.
CalFresh eligibility expanded during the pandemic to include college students on a few different kinds of approved work study programs. Students whose families could not contribute any funds towards their education, based on financial aid declarations, were also included in the eligibility pool, as long as other requirements were met too. The work study and family contribution eligibilities are going away in June.
Rosales is employed part time at her former campus, Mt. San Antonio College, to do CalFresh outreach support. That means talking to the community college students to find out if they qualify for the help.
The CalFresh benefits have helped me maintain my focus on my academic success, rather than have to continuously worry about what I’m going to eat or my basic necessities.
— Stephany Rosales, Cal Poly…
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