CalFresh changes impact thousands in Humboldt

• New CalFresh eligibility requirements came into effect June 1, 2026.
• Humboldt County expects approximately 2,200 residents to be affected by these changes.

New federal rules limiting how long California residents can receive CalFresh food benefits took effect June 1, Humboldt County expects approximately 2,200 residents to be affected, according to county officials.

The update focuses on the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) rule, which restricts recipients between the ages of 18-64 to three months of benefits within a three-year period unless they meet work requirements or qualify for an exemption.

Christine Messinger, manager of Media and Emergency Preparedness from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services, shared that in the state of California, individuals who want to keep receiving benefits need to complete at least 80 hours of volunteer work or community service per month.

While the County prepares for these shifts, Cal Poly Humboldt students may have a different experience if they rely on food assistance.

Julio Martinez, the OhSNAP! coordinator at CPH explained how students seeking food resources can visit the OhSNAP! pantry in room 122 of the Recreational and Wellness Center, which reopens starting Sept. 8. Anyone is welcome to stop by once a week for household items, canned goods and other produce.

Martinez said how the ABAWD requirements won’t affect CPH students because those enrolled halftime or more are already considered exempt.

“OhSNAP! is not tied with the student’s CalFresh eligibility at all,” Martinez said. “It’s funded through student fees.”

Beyond campus, Martinez provided community resources available such as Food for People, Food Not Bombs, and the McKinleyville Family Resource Center. He also clarified the reapplication process for students needing CalFresh.

“There is no limit on how many times people can reapply for CalFresh,” Martinez said.

Kai Peterson, an OhSNAP! student assistant and former eligibility specialist with Trinity County’s CalFresh administration shared how students have to meet certain rules to qualify for CalFresh known as the Student Eligibility Rule. One part of that rule that changed over summer was the Local Programs Increase Employability (LPIE) requirement.

Peterson explained that in the past, colleges and universities had to submit each individual program to the state for approval to determine if it met the employability criteria. On April 13, CalFresh released All County Letter (ACL) 2625 with the modified LPIE criteria.

“If you are attending a college or university halftime or more, then you have to meet one of the exemptions in the list to continue to qualify,” Peterson said. “Any person who’s enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a CCC, CSU, or UC campus meets the LPIE criteria.”

Which means that any undergraduate students enrolled at Cal Poly Humboldt would automatically meet an exemption for the student eligibility rule and increase the amount of students eligible to receive CalFresh benefits.

Students interested in applying for CalFresh or recipients with questions can contact the Social Services Call Center at 1-877-410-8809.