March 23, 2020 – Cal Fresh is the California food version of food stamps which many individuals with disabilities and seniors may use.  A waiver has been in the works for months to allow Cal Fresh recipients to purchase food online and have it delivered. California recently submitted an emergency request to the federal government to speed this request up because of the current state of emergency. California’s new policy would allow Cal Fresh recipients to order food online food through Walmart and Amazon only as they are currently approved vendors through a federal pilot that been implemented in NYC. Currently waiting on fed response.  San Francisco CChroniclerticle on the topic – https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/California-asks-feds-to-let-CalFresh-recipients-15151515.php

211 Community Connect (Riverside County) – https://inlandsocaluw.org/

211 San Bernardino County – https://211sb.org/

211 Coachella Valley –https://221ca.org

Feeding America Riverside/San Bernardino – www.feedingamericaie.org/find-pantry

FIND Food Bank
83775 Citrus Ave, Indio, CA 92201
(760) 775-FOOD (3663)
http://www.findfoodbank.org
FIND is the Feeding America Food Bank and USDA Distributor for the Desert Region. FIND distributed over 24 million lbs of food in 2020 to 150+ distribution sites, including 80+ community agency partners such as soup kitchens, food pantries, religious organizations, etc. FIND also operates 44 community mobile markets with drive-thru food distributions. FIND is the only regional food bank in the Desert Region. Contact them for the food bank info closest to you.

Galilee Center
66101 Hammond Road., Coachella, CA 92236
760-396-9100.
https://galileecenter.org
Food assistance, rental assistance, holiday food baskets, Thrift Store Clothing Voucher Program, emergency transfer services, Utility Bill Assistance Program.

Martha’s Village
https://marthasvillage.org/
83791 Date Avenue Indio, CA 92201
(760) 347-4741
Martha’s Village offers emergency housing for families and individuals, nutritious meals, case management, childcare, recovery services, employment and education services, and emergency assistance. These programs are supplemented by a thrift store, medical clinic, computer lab, food pantry, resource room, and a cooling center.

SafeHouse of the Desert
72710 East Lynn Street, Thousand Palms, CA 92276
888-343-4660
https://safehouseofthedesert.com/
Helping Teens In Crisis In The Coachella Valley. SafeHouse of the Desert provides immediate help to youth and families experiencing crisis situations. When families come to us, they’re usually at their wit’s end—parents are frustrated and children don’t know where to turn. Our staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for teens and their families who need help negotiating the often challenging road from childhood to independent adult life. Our 20-bed shelter is well equipped to handle runaway, homeless, and other youth in crisis ages 11-17. Shelter services include; individual, group, and family counseling, on-site education, substance abuse education, skills lab, and aftercare.

Schools: Most school districts have a Grab and Go meal distribution program, which provides breakfast and lunch meals for children ages 18 and under.  If an adult is in special education in that district and receiving services, they also should be eligible.  Check your local school district’s website for which schools are distributing food and what hours.  The meals, offered every weekday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., are prepared by Food Services staff and distributed by District administrators and staff.  Students do not have to be school age – or registered students in that district – but should be present in the car to receive meals. Students with special needs can receive meal service accommodations by contacting the District (such as not being present in the car). Per the CDE, all students over age 18 who meet the state agency’s definition of disabled may receive meals under the Seamless Summer Option (SSO). They do need to be enrolled in school. Some districts are ensuring that food service staff at the meal sites are aware of the written medical statements or the IEP/nutrition plan so students are receiving appropriate and safe meals.

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT):  Due to Coronavirus (Covid-19), children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school will get extra food benefits. These food benefits are called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT benefits. P-EBT benefits help families in California buy food when schools are closed because of the coronavirus emergency.

Families will get up to $365 per eligible child on their P-EBT card to use on food and groceries.

Families with children who receive CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or Foster Care benefits do not need to apply. Most will receive their P-EBT card in the mail during the month of May. P-EBT cards will begin arriving around May 12, 2020.

Families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals and who do not receive their P-EBT card in the mail by about May 22, 2020 must apply online before June 30, 2020. The online application will be available beginning May 22, 2020 at ca.p-ebt.org

Grocery Stores that have special shopping hours for disabled, seniors, pregnant women:

Stater Bros: 7:45am-8am

Smart & Final: 7:30am-8am

Cardenas: 7am-8am

Northgate Gonzales: 7am-8am

Albertson’s: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7am-9am

Target: Wednesdays only from 8am-9am

Whole Foods: 7am-8am

Tom’s Farms: 8am-9am

Trader Joe’s: 9am-9:30am

Winco: Tuesdays and Thursdays only from 6am-7:30am

Ralph’s: 7am-7:30am

Food 4 Less: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays only from 7am-7:30am

Feeding America Foodbank locator for San Bernardino and Riverside Counties: https://www.feedingamericaie.org/find-pantry

The Pub at Chino Hills: Offering grocery pickup on fresh produce, dairy, , bread, pastas, paper goods, and meats. Scroll down for their Farmer’s Market menu http://www.thepubatchinohills.com/marketsquare

Lazy Dog Restaurant Corona and Montclair:  Offering $40 “Pantry Packs” to go (raw chicken breasts, eggs, milk, bread, butter, rice, onions, carrots, potatoes, and toilet paper) https://reservations.getwisely.com/lazy-dog-corona   or https://reservations.getwisely.com/lazy-dog-montclair 

Riverside County Department of Aging: Offering meal delivery and pick up service to disabled adults through their Grab-and-Go meals, Courtesy Pantry Delivery, Home Delivered Meal Program, and Emergency Meals. Restaurant meal delivery service for disabled adults coming soon. Please call (800) 510-2020 or visit https://www.rcaging.org/COVID-19

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT): Children who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals can get up to $365 in food benefits in addition to their pick up meals from school. For families with children already on CalFresh or Medi-Cal, there is no need to apply. These families will receive their P-EBT cards in the mail between May 7-May 22, 2020. For families that receive free or reduced school meals and do NOT already have CalFresh or Medi-Cal, please look for a message from their local school district or community-based organization about how to apply for P-EBT in mid to late May. Once they receive the application, all applications must be completed by June 30, 2020. For more information, please visit: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/home/pandemic-ebt

Sikh Temple Riverside: Offers free groceries, meals (pizza and pasta), and masks to the community through drive up events. Every Saturday and Sunday at their location: Sikh Temple 7940 Mission Blvd. Jurupa Valley/Riverside from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Please text 909-307-4772 for more info.

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/

Instacart – https://www.instacart.com/

University Foods – http://www.universityfoods.info/