The Board of Supervisors has dispatched a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture supporting California’s request to extend a program that has made it easier for senior and disabled people to receive food benefits.
Supervisor Hilda Solis recommended weighing in on the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP), a state waiver which streamlines the process of applying for CalFresh benefits by waiving a requirement for a recertification interview, using data matching to make verification simpler, and certifying benefits for a longer period of time for elderly and disabled applicants.
“Food insecurity is a significant issue across Los Angeles County during these unprecedented times. As the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated, those who are elderly as well as people who have a disability, face significant challenges every day including not knowing where their next meal will come from,” Solis said.
“Barrier-reducing initiatives such as ESAP must be encouraged and supported because no person who is elderly or has a disability should have to go hungry in Los Angeles County,” she said.
