Food assistance
No household should skip meals in a county with this much food. Here is what exists, who qualifies, and how to apply — with honest answers to the questions people are afraid to ask.
CalFresh (SNAP)
Monthly food benefits on an EBT card, usable at supermarkets, many corner stores, and farmers' markets (where the amount is often doubled through Market Match). Eligibility depends on household income and size; working households qualify far more often than people assume.
Who can apply: US citizens and many lawful residents; children who are citizens can receive benefits even when parents do not apply for themselves. A household can apply for eligible members only, without providing status information for members who are not applying. California also runs the California Food Assistance Program for some immigrants not eligible for CalFresh, and has been expanding it.
Does applying affect immigration? Receiving food benefits for eligible household members, including citizen children, is not something we can give legal advice about, but public guidance has been clear that SNAP is not considered in most public-charge assessments. If this worries you, we will connect you to a trusted immigration legal-aid organisation to answer your specific question before you apply. We never pressure anyone to apply.
How to apply: online, by phone or at a county office, in Spanish and other languages. Interviews are by phone. We help you complete it and gather the documents.
WIC
For pregnant and post-partum women, infants and children under five: monthly food benefits, nutrition support and breastfeeding help. Immigration status is not a condition. Apply through a local WIC office; we can point you to the nearest.
School meals
California provides free breakfast and lunch to every public-school student, with no application. Many districts add after-school snacks, summer meal sites and weekend backpack programs. Ask the school office; nothing about status is asked.
Seniors
Senior meal programs and home-delivered meals exist across Los Angeles County for residents 60 and over, regardless of status, through the county's Aging and Disabilities department and community organisations.
Food banks and pantries
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank supplies hundreds of pantries, churches, mosques, community centers and associations that distribute food weekly, most without any ID or status requirement. Hours and locations change; we keep a current list by area and can also help an association set up its own distribution point.
Emergency food today
Dial 211 for the nearest open pantry today, in your language. If you tell us you have no food tonight, that request is flagged urgent.
Keep in mind
- No legitimate program charges a fee to apply or to 'speed up' benefits.
- Do not share your EBT card number or PIN with anyone by phone; card-skimming scams target EBT users.
How the Foundation helps
- Honest answers about who in your household can apply.
- Completing CalFresh and WIC applications with you.
- Finding pantries and meal programs near you.
- Helping associations run distributions.
- A same-day response when there is no food tonight.
Need help today?
Free, confidential, in your language. Or fund the next family's relief.