This page provides information for County Welfare Departments regarding CalFresh Disaster Response, both Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh) and Emergency Response Waivers.

If you are an individual who has been impacted by a recent disaster and needs food assistance or additional information on D-CalFresh or general CalFresh emergency response efforts, please contact your local County Welfare Department for additional information.

CalFresh Disaster Response

Important Information About CalFresh Disaster Response

The CDSS will regularly post updated information regarding CalFresh’s response to disasters such as wildfires, earthquakes, and severe storms on this webpage. Outreach materials for Disaster CalFresh Operations are available and can be accessed on the Disaster CalFresh Outreach Materials webpage.

Active Disaster Response Efforts:

On November 13, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Ventura)

Past Disaster Response Efforts:

On January 31, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: San Diego, Ventura)
On February 9, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Lake, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, and Ventura)
On February 19, 2024, a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration with Individual Assistance (FEMA-4758-DR) for San Diego was issued. A Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh) operation has not yet been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). More information will be shared here as available.
On February 29, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver for specific ZIP codes:
- Automated Mass Replacement Waiver (Counties: Butte, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba)
On March 1, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ D-CalFresh Plan:
- D-CalFresh Plan Approval (County: San Diego)
On March 8, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Nevada)
On March 5, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Hot Foods Waiver (County: San Diego)
On March 22, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to extend the following waiver:
- Hot Foods Waiver (County: San Diego)
On March 25, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver for specific ZIP codes:
- Automated Mass Replacement Waiver (Counties: El Dorado, Humboldt, Mendocino, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Trinity, Tuolumne, and Yuba)
On July 10, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Butte and Mariposa)
On July 18, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Siskiyou)
On July 24, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver for specific ZIP codes:
- Automated Mass Replacement Waiver (Counties: Butte, Mariposa, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Shasta, and Tehama)
On July 25, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS' request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Riverside)
On August 1, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Butte, Kern, Plumas, Riverside, Shasta, and Tehama)
On August 15, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver for specific ZIP codes:
- Automated Mass Replacement Waiver (Counties: Calaveras, Humboldt, and Mendocino)
On August 16, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Shasta)
On August 29, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Riverside)
On September 11, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (Counties: Lake, San Bernardino, Sierra)
On September 27, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver for specific ZIP codes:
- Automated Mass Replacement Waiver (Counties: Calaveras, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Tuolumne)
On October 10, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Lake)
On October 17, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Shasta)
On October 23, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver:
- Timely Household Reporting of Food Loss Waiver (County: Trinity)
On November 1, 2024, the FNS approved CDSS’ request to implement the following waiver for specific ZIP codes:
- Automated Mass Replacement Waiver (County: Trinity)

For additional resources or needs, email DisasterCalFresh@dss.ca.gov.

Overview of CalFresh Disaster Response

Emergency Response Waiver Types

Timely Reporting Waiver

The Timely Reporting Waiver extends the 10-day timeframe in which CalFresh households must report food loss in order to individually request replacement benefits. Typically, this timeframe is extended to 30-days past when the disaster occurred. Please refer to the Timely Reporting Waiver links in the Important Information section above for more information on specific waiver approvals.

Automated Mass Replacement Waiver

The Automated Mass Replacement Waiver allows for the replacement of a certain percentage of a households benefit allotment without the need to submit individual requests. This waiver is most often utilized when food loss can be assumed due to widespread adverse effects from a disaster (wildfires, storms, flooding, power loss, etc.), that impacts a majority (50 percent or more) of residents in a given geographic area (e.g., ZIP code) for four hours or more. Please refer to the Automated Mass Replacement Waiver links in the Important Information section above for more information on specific waiver approvals.

Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh)

What Is D-CalFresh?

D-CalFresh, known federally as the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), is a way to meet the temporary nutritional needs of disaster victims following a natural disaster such as a flood, fire, earthquake or any other natural disaster. D-CalFresh provides a month's worth of benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card which can be used to purchase food at authorized retail stores. D-CalFresh is only available when all of the following elements occur:

A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance (IA) has been declared in the affected area;
Commercial channels of food distribution have been disrupted and those commercial channels have been restored; and
The State of California has been approved to operate a D-CalFresh program.

Outreach materials for Disaster CalFresh Operations are available and can be accessed on the Disaster CalFresh Outreach Materials webpage.

Who Can Apply for D-CalFresh?

Households who were living or working in an area that was issued a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration with IA, and who were negatively impacted by the disaster, can apply for D-CalFresh.

If you are a current CalFresh recipient affected by the disaster and you meet the household eligibility requirements listed below, you may be eligible for supplemental disaster benefits. If you are a new applicant affected by the disaster, meet the household eligibility requirements listed below, you may be eligible for full month’s allotment of disaster benefits.

Household Eligibility Requirements for D-CalFresh

1) Residency: The household must have lived or worked in the disaster area at the time of the disaster. If any member of a household lived or worked in the disaster area during the disaster benefit period, all household members could be eligible under D-CalFresh. The disaster area is defined in the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration with IA.
2) Purchase of Food: The household must have purchased or planned to have purchased food during the disaster benefit period or have purchased food during that time, if the benefit period has passed.
3) Adverse Effect: Disaster-related adverse effects fall into three categories: loss of income, inaccessible resources, and disaster expenses. The household must have experienced at least one of the adverse effects in order to be eligible for D-CalFresh.
4) Income and Resources: Modified Categorical Eligibility (MCE), in the regular CalFresh program, wherein the CalFresh households resources are excluded when determining CalFresh eligibility does not apply in the D-CalFresh program. Income and resources must be counted in order to determine eligibility in the D-CalFresh program for households who have suffered a disaster loss.

Note: The total net (take-home) income received during the benefit period plus accessible liquid resources, minus eligible disaster-related expenses, shall not exceed the disaster gross income limit. View the disaster gross income limits for the period of 10/1/24 - 9/30/25.

Quick Links

Integrity Resources

Fraud Warning Poster English (Spanish)
Duplicate Participation Poster English (Spanish)

Additional Resources

CalFresh Benefits Helpline

Toll-free: 1-877-847-3663