CalFresh fruit and vegetable pilot program to re-launch

(The Center Square) - CalFresh recipients can now get $60 more a month for fruit and vegetables as part of the relaunch of a pilot program, according to Assemblyman Alex Lee’s office. Lee, D-Milpitas, chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee and a member of the Assembly Select Committee on CalFresh Enrollment and Nutrition, secured $36 million in funding to re-start the program, according to the legislator's office. The Legislature approved the funding as part of its 2025-26 budget and as part of the state’s general fund, according to the California Department of Social Services and Lee’s office. “The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program is a lifeline for those living paycheck to paycheck,” Lee said in a press release issued earlier this year. EBT stands for Electronic Benefit Transfer and is used to deliver assistance. “With the Republican-led Congress making catastrophic cuts to our social safety nets, now is the time to double down on our efforts to fight poverty and food