CalFresh 2025 SNAP Payments In California With COLA Increase: Know Payment Schedule

Starting October 1, 2024, CalFresh, California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), will deliver a modest boost in benefits thanks to the 2025 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has announced the new payment amounts and distribution dates for Californians, bringing some relief to low-income families facing rising living costs.

2025 CalFresh COLA Increase Overview

The 2025 COLA increase for CalFresh recipients in California may seem small, but it’s a step forward in maintaining the purchasing power of those relying on these benefits. The adjustment is designed to help families keep up with inflation and avoid losing their ability to buy essential food items.

For individuals, the maximum benefit will increase by $1, rising from $291 to $292 per month. Meanwhile, larger households will see slightly larger increases, with families of eight receiving up to $1,756, an increase of $5 from the previous amount of $1,751.

While these boosts aren’t huge, they still offer a slight improvement in monthly budgets, especially for larger families who can use every dollar to help offset the cost of groceries.

Payment Schedule for October 2024

CalFresh benefits will be distributed from October 1 to October 10 based on the last digit of the recipient’s case number. This means recipients will receive their funds on different days depending on their unique case number. Here’s the detailed schedule:

• Case numbers ending in 1: Payment on October 1
• Case numbers ending in 2: Payment on October 2
• Case numbers ending in 3: Payment on October 3
• Case numbers ending in 4: Payment on October 4
• Case numbers ending in 5: Payment on October 5
• Case numbers ending in 6: Payment on October 6
• Case numbers ending in 7: Payment on October 7
• Case numbers ending in 8: Payment on October 8
• Case numbers ending in 9: Payment on October 9
• Case numbers ending in 0: Payment on October 10

Your CalFresh benefits will be loaded directly onto your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Make sure to check your balance on the corresponding payment date to access your funds.

How Much Can You Receive?

While the increase is modest, it does slightly adjust the maximum benefit limits for CalFresh recipients. Here’s a breakdown of the maximum monthly benefits based on household size:

Household Size	Maximum Monthly Benefit (2025)
1	$292
2	$536
3	$768
4	$975
5	$1,158
6	$1,390
7	$1,536
8	$1,756

For households larger than eight, the maximum benefit will increase slightly for each additional person. While the changes seem small on a monthly scale (ranging from $1 to $5), these extra amounts do add up over the course of a year, providing some financial relief to eligible recipients.

What This Means for California Families

Although the 2025 COLA increase for CalFresh isn’t dramatic, it will still help families dealing with inflation, even if only in a small way.

With food prices continuing to rise, this increase can help ensure that low-income families can continue to put food on the table.

Larger families, especially those with eight members or more, stand to gain the most, with an additional $5 per month or $60 annually.

For an individual, the increase may seem marginal, but over a year, it still adds an extra $12 to their food budget, which can make a difference when planning groceries or covering emergency expenses.

CalFresh recipients in California can expect their benefits to rise slightly with the 2025 COLA increase starting October 1, 2024.

While the increases are modest — $1 for individuals and up to $5 for families of eight — they are crucial in helping families keep up with inflation and maintain their purchasing power.

Recipients will continue receiving their benefits on a staggered schedule throughout the first ten days of October, depending on the last digit of their case number.

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