BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — New work requirements for CalFresh recipients in Kern County took effect Sept. 1, requiring certain recipients to work, attend school, or volunteer for at least 20 hours a week or risk losing their benefits.
More than 200,000 people — an estimated 100,000 families — in Kern County use CalFresh. Kelly Lowery with the CAPK Food Bank said the impact of the new rules could be significant.
"And as a result of the changes of HR1, potentially 30,000 of those 100,000 cases are at risk of being disenrolled," Lowrey said.
The food bank is already serving about 50,000 families each month. Lowrey said the challenge for many people isn't simply finding a job — it's finding work that allows them to make ends meet.
"And the truth of the matter is, there just aren't enough of those high-paying jobs where two working individuals in a house could make a $26-an-hour rate job. There just aren't enough of those jobs out there," Lowery said.
Veronica Perez, a CalFresh recipient who works 35 hours a week at the food bank, said the new requirement isn't an issue for her. But she said she knows people who may have a much harder time meeting the new rules.
"A lot of people in my community don't have access to transportation. Maybe they have a disability, maybe they're hindered from day care, they don't have day care. Some people wouldn't be able to do, or work as many hours as I do," Perez said.
More changes are coming Oct. 1. The federal government is increasing the maximum SNAP benefit amounts for most states, including California, while income eligibility limits and other rules are also changing.
As the food bank prepares for the possibility of more people needing help, Lowery said it is also changing how it uses its resources. The food bank has started using a new data system to track where people are getting emergency food and how often.
"And so we're going to continue to utilize the resources that we have to serve everybody that's in need as best that we can," Lowery said.
With more CalFresh changes ahead, recipients are encouraged to check their eligibility now so they know what to expect.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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