LOS ANGELES, Calif.–Social workers are visiting neighborhoods around Los Angeles County to urge people to sign up for food stamps, or CalFresh as the program is now known.
“Now more than ever–to prevent hunger due to the current state of the economy–it’s our goal to increase the number of eligible L.A. County residents who receive this assistance,” said Philip Browning, the director of the county Department of Public Social Services.
The county recently deployed workers in a van to spread the word.
CalFresh recipients now get debit cards that enables them to shop in most grocery stores and farmers’ markets. Older and homeless recipients can use the card in some restaurants, according to the DPSS.
About 3 million Californians get government-subsidized food.
