Other Food Resources

A message from San Francisco Health Services Agency (SFHSA):  Link to this section

Due to the federal government shutdown, CalFresh benefits are temporarily delayed for the month of November. With the help of a local foundation, Crankstart, and in partnership with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, Mayor Daniel Lurie and the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA) are giving a one-time prepaid card to San Francisco CalFresh households. This aid will help families buy healthy food and reduce financial stress during this time. 

How to get a prepaid card

Households eligible for this support will receive a letter from SFHSA that contains information on how to access their card. Letters will be sent in the first week of November. 

The letter will contain a unique activation code that will allow clients to access their card as a virtual card immediately or request a physical card in the mail, which will arrive in three to five business days. Clients do not need to contact SFHSA to request or receive this support.

Additional Resources in San Francisco: 

• Download and view the California Department of Education Meals for Kids App, it has a map of after-school meal programs in the city. This includes SFUSD sites and more. SFUSD after-school supper sites are open to any youth 18 years and younger.
• Every SFUSD school site has free Breakfast & Lunch every school day for every student, regardless of income. Find the menu here: sfusd.edu/menus
• Visit San Francisco Human Services Agency at sfhsa.org/services/food or call (415) 557-5000 for information on food services: Calfresh (FoodStamps), Calfresh for Immigrants, free food locations, groceries, and meals.
• Visit 211 if you need help connecting to services, including food, health care, transportation, and more.
• Visit SF Service Guide, an online directory of human services in San Francisco, at sfserviceguide.org/food-resources/form for information on food resources.
• The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is operating temporary Pop-up Pantries. Use the Food Locator to find sites near you. The time and location of Pop-up Pantries may change.
• Use Shop Simple with MyPlate for savings with CalFresh, budget-friendly recipes, and balanced eating tips. Visit myplate.gov/shopsimple.

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is operating temporary Pop-up Pantries. Use the Food Locator to find sites near you. The time and location of Pop-up Pantries may change.

Helping California Families Get More Food
SUN Bucks (also known as Summer EBT) is a permanent program that helps families with school-aged children buy food during summer months. Each eligible child gets $120 on a SUN Bucks card. Families can use SUN Bucks to buy food at most grocery stores, farmer's markets, and other authorized retailers, including online at stores like Amazon and Walmart. Visit https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks for more information.

SFUSD families must either submit a Multipurpose Family Income Form (MFIF) or become directly certified to determine SUN Bucks eligibility. If you received a Direct Certification letter for your student in your email, that means you are all set! If you have not received a Direct Certification letter or are not sure, you should submit the SFUSD Multipurpose Family Income Form (MFIF) online at SchoolCafe.com and mark “yes” for SUNBucks. It is recommended that you review your MFIF results letter and reapply if you made a mistake or have changes in the household. SFUSD Directly Certified students and Students with Free or Reduced MFIF Results and marked "yes" for SunBucks, should receive a $120.00 SunBucks(EBT) card to their mailing address on file with SFUSD.

Eligible families must also ensure that their mailing address with SFUSD Enrollment Center is up to date so their card gets to them. To update contact in ParentVue, visit website portal.sfusd.edu,  email enrollinschool@sfusd.edu, call 415-241-6085.

For cardholder assistance, the SUN Bucks helpline is available at (877) 328-9677. The helpline provides automated support 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Live agents are available Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. To check your benefit balance and claim status, visit the California EBT cardholder website. NOTE: If you are NOT yet a cardholder and still have a question, call the SUNBucks helpline and wait for option 5.