CalFresh
CalFresh (also known as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or SNAP) is a federally mandated program that provides monthly food benefits to assist low-income households in purchasing nutritious food. Visit the California Department of Social Services CalFresh Site for more information on the CalFresh program.

CalFresh Benefits
The amount of CalFresh benefits depends on family size, income, and monthly expenses such as housing, utilities, and child care. The benefits will be loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer card (EBT card) that looks like a regular credit card and can be used at most markets and grocery stores. Learn more about how to get and use your EBT card. In general, these benefits are for any food or ingredient intended for human consumption. Benefits may also be used to buy seeds to grow your own food. Benefits may not be used for items such as alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, or paper products. CalFresh benefits may be able to be used at some resta…

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Replace lost or damaged food

People can request replacement benefits for food that they bought using CalFresh and that they lost or had damaged in an emergency such as fire, natural disaster, power outages, etc. A form must be submitted within 10 days of the end of an event, such as a power outage. Sometimes counties extend the deadline beyond 10 days.

To Apply for Replacement Benefits
Complete and submit Replacement or Disaster Supplement Affidavit (CF 303) to apply for CalFresh replacement benefits after disaster.

• In person - Nevada County Department of Social Services suggests that people come in person to a DSS office for most efficient service.
• Online - at BenefitsCal.com
• Fax completed form to 530-265-9860

Forms

• English CF 303 form
• Spanish CF 303 form

Locations
GRASS VALLEY - Brighton Greens
988 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley, CA 95949
530-265-1340

NEVADA CITY - Eric Rood Administrative Center
950 Maidu Ave, Suite 120, Nevada City, CA 95959
530-265-1340

TRUCKEE - Nevada County Joseph Center
10075 L…

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2024 Market Money dates and locations will be added when confirmed.


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2023 CalFresh Market Money (also known as Market Match) runs June 3 - Nov 18, 2023

Spend CalFresh dollars at Western Nevada County Farmers Markets and receive up to a $15 match per market every week. Come to the Farmers Market booth, show EBT card and photo ID (must be a Nevada County resident), then Market Match tokens will be given to match EBT purchases (up to $15). Tokens can be used to buy food at participating farm stands. Market Match will be available at the TUESDAY and SATURDAY and markets. See times and locations below. Details different for Truckee market - see below.

Market Money can be used June 3 - Nov 18, 2023. Dates below are for the entire farmers market summer and fall season.

2023 Farmers Markets offering this program:

TUESDAY MARKET
Grass Valley – Pine Creek Shopping Center, near Jamba Juice, 650 Freeman Lane, Grass Valley, CA 95949
May 2 – September 12, 9am-1pm

SATURDAY MARKET
Gras…

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Offers a nutrition, breastfeeding and health education program that helps pregnant women, mothers with new babies, and young children, under age 5 years, eat well and stay healthy. Families receive checks to purchase nutritious foods at grocery stores. Legal guardians such as fathers, foster parents, and grandparents can receive checks on behalf of children. 

This is one of many possible First 5 Nevada County Ready to Grow (R2G) program resources.

2024 info will be added when available
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The California Department of Education provides free nutritious meals to children during summer vacation. See links for more info about these free summer lunches. Call the site contact person to confirm details.

Web pages

• 2024 update - https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/smrmealsmediarelease2024.asp
• Home - California Department of Education - https://www.cde.ca.gov/
  • Search "summer meal sites"
• All counties - 2024 link will be added when available
• Nevada County - 2024 link will be added when available
• Placer County - 2024 link will be added when available

Interfaith Food Ministry provides food that does not require warming or refrigeration to persons who are homeless. Food can be picked up once a week during regularly scheduled food pantry pickup hours. Open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am-1pm and every Saturday from 10am-12pm
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This is a Ready to Grow (R2G) resource. Ready to Grow is a First 5 Nevada County program to connect children 0-5 with services and information that support their well-being. Organizations with programs that have this R2G tag may have additional programs of interest to families.

This resource is eligible for electronic referral.

Meals on Wheels provides qualified home-bound seniors over the age of 60 with nutritious lunches. Must be enrolled in the Meals on Wheels program. Delivery is on Tuesdays & Thursdays (no deliveries on weekends, major holidays or when roads are unsafe to travel). Gold Country Senior Services oversees the Meals on Wheels program in Western Nevada County (Alta Sierra, Grass Valley, Lake of the Pines, Lake Wildwood, Nevada City, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready, etc).*

Enrollment info - https://www.goldcountryservices.org/meals-on-wheels/
530-273-4961

Meals on Wheels clients can apply to the Pet Food Pantry Program through their case worker. The purpose of the Pet Food Pantry Program is to keep seniors and their pets together by reducing pet expenses. 

* For North San Juan / San Juan Ridge call Sue Bauer at 530-292-9525. See database program: MEALS ON WHEELS-NORTH SAN JUAN - GCSS

Any Nevada County resident who has a current positive test result for COVID-19 or who has long COVID may be eligible for some County services if they have no other support available from family or friends. Positive test result can be from a testing site or a home antigen test. If a home test, a public health nurse will determine if a PCR/on site test is needed. People in these situations can call 211 to be put on a list. County staff will contact them to see if they can assist with services.

All COVID-19 support referrals received over the weekend or on holidays will be reviewed the next business day (regular hours are Mon-Fri 8am-5pm excluding holidays). Hotel rooms are not available as an isolation resource.
 
For people with a current positive COVID test result, the County may be able to provide supplies that can be ordered online for delivery:

• groceries
• toiletries
• diapers
• cleaning supplies

For COVID-19 test kits call Nevada County COVID-19 Nurse Line at 530-265-7258 and arrange f… [read more]

Connecting Point offers Nevada County residents assistance with signing up for CalFresh. Call 211 or 833-342-5211 for referral to a Navigator who will contact you and guide you through the application process.
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Drop-in benefits information and application assistance is provided by the Navigator team from the Nevada County Department of Social Services at three libraries each month. Stop by if you need help enrolling in, or renewing your participation in, benefits programs such as

• Cash Assistance - CalWORKs & more
• Food Assistance - CalFresh
• Healthcare - Medi-Cal
• Housing
• In-Home Supportive Services
• Veterans Services

While these resources are always available to the public, having them all together during the Services Drop-In allows you to learn, at the same meeting, such things as what kind of support is available for seniors, how you can proceed with child support, and which doctors take your insurance. These are drop-in services and no appointment is necessary.

Social Services Drop-In days and locations

• Grass Valley Library, 207 Mill St, Grass Valley, CA 95945, 530-273-4117
  • First Tuesdays, 10:30am-12:30pm
  • First Saturdays, 10am-2pm
• Madelyn Helling Library, 980 Helling Way, Nevada City, CA 95959,…

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