Purchase hot food for a limited time!

Due to the recent impacts caused by the Camp (Butte County) and Woolsey (Los Angeles and Ventura County) Fires, displaced CalFresh households and those who temporarily relocated are able to purchase hot foods with their EBT card. CalFresh recipients in Santa Barbara County, displaced or not, may use their EBT card to purchase hot foods and hot foods ready for immediate consumption at any EBT retailer. This is effective only through December 17, 2018. If you have trouble purchasing hot food at an EBT certified retailer, please contact your worker or local office with the retailer’s name and location.

Phone scam reported 10/24/18

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has alerted the Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services (DSS) that fraudulent phone calls are being received by the public in our area. Here is the SSA's warning:

• The SSA Inspector General is warning the public of an ongoing caller-ID “spoofing” scheme misusing the SSA’s national customer service phone number. 
• The SSA has received numerous reports of questionable phone calls displaying SSA’s 1-800 number on a caller-ID screen. This is a scam; citizens should not engage with those calls or provide any personal information. 
• The caller identifies themselves as an SSA employee and asks for the person’s personal information. 
• SSA employees do not contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. In some situations, an SSA employee may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone.
• However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information or promise a Social Security benefit approval or increase in exchange for information. 
• SSA’s advice to the public is: 
• The calls are fraudulent, and you should just hang up. 
• Please be aware that phone numbers can be spoofed. If you answer a call from a number you know, but you do not recognize the caller, hang up. 
• The SSA urges citizens to be extremely cautious, and to avoid providing information such as your SSN or bank account numbers to unknown persons over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it. 
• If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report

Clients are advised to protect themselves and their personal information.

Disaster CalFresh food aid available for a limited time

Were you impacted by the wildfires or mudslides in Santa Barbara or Ventura Counties? Disaster CalFresh food assistance is available for a limited time. Applications will be accepted in-person:

• Tuesday, February 6 to Friday, February 9
• Monday, February 12 to Wednesday, February 14

You may be eligible for Disaster CalFresh food assistance (also known as D‑SNAP or D-CalFresh) if your household: 

• Lived in or worked in the following disaster areas: Santa Barbara or Ventura, on December 4, 2017 or January 8-9, 2018; and
• Experienced a disruption in income; or
• Had damage to your home or self-employment property; or
• Had disaster-related expenses.
• Is not already receiving CalFresh food assistance

Note that there is a household income limit. For example, a household of 2 may qualify for a one-time benefit of $352 if their monthly available income and resources are less than $2,049 after considering disaster related impacts, including lost income and disaster-related expenses.

Individuals and families that are ineligible for regular CalFresh may be eligible for Disaster CalFresh food assistance based on qualifying disaster-related expenses.

You can apply for Disaster CalFresh food assistance in-person at the locations listed below between Tuesday, February 6 to Friday, February 9 and Monday, February 12 to Wednesday, February 14.

Note, you will need to complete an in-person interview to complete the Disaster CalFresh food assistance application process. The Disaster CalFresh food assistance application is available here in English and Spanish. Bring a completed application with you, or come prepared to complete the application in-person.

Santa Barbara County
Department of Social Services 234 Camino del Remedio Santa Barbara, CA  93110 Monday-Friday 7am to 5pm	Department of Social Services 1100 W Laurel Ave Lompoc, CA  93436 Monday-Friday 7am to 5pm
Department of Social Services 2125 S Centerpointe Pkwy Santa Maria, CA  93455 Monday-Friday 7am to 5pm	Carpinteria Family Resource Center 5241 8th Street Carpinteria, CA   93013 Tuesdays 9am to 3pm
Disaster Recovery Center 1 N. Calle Cesar Chavez Santa Barbara, CA  93103 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 9am-6pm Weds & Sat. 9am to 3pm
Ventura County
East County Community Service Center 2900 N. Madera Rd. Ste. 100 Simi Valley, CA. 93065 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm	Oxnard Community Service Center 1400 Vanguard Drive Oxnard, CA. 93033 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm
Santa Clara Valley Community Service Center 725 E. Main St Santa Paula, CA. 93060 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm Open until 7pm on Thursday 2-8-18	Thousand Oaks Community Service Center 80 E Hillcrest Drive Ste. 200 Thousand Oaks, CA. 91360 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm
Ventura Community Service Center 4651 Telephone Rd Ventura, CA. 93003 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm Open until 7pm on Wednesday 2-7-18 Open until 7pm on Thursday 2-8-18	Moorpark Community Service Center 612B Spring Rd. Ste 301 Moorpark, CA. 93021 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm
Fillmore Community Service Center 828 Ventura St. Ste 200 Fillmore, CA. 93015 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm Open until 7pm on Wednesday 2-7-18

(If you need to share this information, a printable flyer is available here  in English and Spanish).