Key Takeaways
Emergency allotments were increases to CalFresh from March 2020 to February 2023 that ensured that every CalFresh household received the maximum amount for their household size. The policy was later revised in April 2021 so that the lowest-income families, who were already eligible for large or maximum benefits, received at least a $95 boost. Examining this pandemic aid and its impact on household resources can offer lessons for crafting a response from CalFresh during the next economic downturn—and for improving the program in the near term.
- CalFresh benefits grew substantially during the pandemic, although inflation eroded their value. The March 2020 emergency allotments were the largest pandemic-era increases to CalFresh, growing benefits by 43 percent on average from February 2020; the April 2021 policy increased benefits by 11 percent from the previous month. While average benefits doubled during the pandemic, after accounting for inflation they increased 77 percent. →
- Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits temporarily played a major role for CalFresh households. By fall 2020, as many as 27 percent of households that included adults enrolled in CalFresh had income from UI—up from just 2 percent before the pandemic. →
- Each emergency allotment boost impacted different CalFresh households. The first boost focused on households with higher earned incomes or whose main income was from Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP). The second boost assisted households with lower incomes—while it provided a similar dollar level, by percentage the increase was lower. →
- Increasing and redesigning benefits apparently had little impact on work. Households with the original CalFresh boost saw no related changes in employment or earnings compared to those without it. Other supports like UI and stimulus checks may have played a larger role in work decisions. →
- Higher benefits may have kept certain eligible households on CalFresh. Those who saw the first boost were more likely to remain on CalFresh while eligible and return quickly if they missed documenting eligibility in time—relative to those who did not see the boost. However, households with even fewer resources did not respond strongly to the incentive of increased benefits. →