Disaster Food Benefits Aid Residents and Workers Affected by Walbridge/Meyers LNU Complex Wildfire

Low-income residents and workers affected by the Walbridge/Meyers LNU Complex wildfires can apply for Disaster CalFresh food benefits between Wednesday, October 28 and Thursday, November 5 through the Sonoma County Human Services Department Economic Assistance Division. Disaster CalFresh benefits help supplement the food budget of those who lost food, income or had emergency expenses due to the wildfires.

To be eligible, individuals must have lived or worked in Sonoma County on August 14, 2020, experienced an adverse impact as a result of the fire and meet eligibility requirements.

Applicants must complete a phone interview with Economic Assistance staff. If the application is approved, funds to purchase food will be added to Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. Like a debit card, EBT cards can be used at grocery stores and other authorized retailers. If approved applicants don’t already have an EBT card, Economic Assistance staff will tell them when and where to pick up their EBT card.

To apply, visit the CalFresh-Disaster-Benefits webpage, or call (877) 847-3663(877-847-FOOD).

Anyone who needs food immediately can dial 2-1-1 for a list of agencies that can help.

Disaster CalFresh food benefits programs are administered by the Sonoma County Human Services Economic Assistance Division, which oversees the year-round CalFresh program for the State of California. Known as CalFresh in California, this food and nutrition program is part of a federal government program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Disaster CalFresh, also known as D-CalFresh or D-SNAP, is an emergency food benefit that provides temporary food benefits to disaster victims following a flood, fire, earthquake or any other type of natural disaster. Benefits are available only after a Presidential Declaration of Disaster with Individual Assistance has been approved or the State of California has been approved by the federal government to operate a Disaster CalFresh program. For additional information about Disaster CalFresh, visit www.cdss.ca.gov/disastercalfresh1.