New work requirements put food aid at risk for thousands in Riverside county

This story was originally published by American Community Media. 

RIVERSIDE – It’s Wednesday morning and a line of cars stretches around a local food bank, one of several here in Riverside, about an hour east of Los Angeles. The lines have grown considerably in the past year, many here say.

The timing coincides with last year’s passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (HR1), which so far has forced more than 3 million people nationwide off federal food aid.

“It’s the only way you can make it,” says one of those in line who asks that we only use his last name, Wood. “I still got two daughters and a granddaughter… It’s hard. I mean, I get my Social Security, but it’s not enough.”

When he gets to the front of the line, volunteers pass Mr. Wood a box containing cereal, milk, and beans. “[I] get a little bit here and there that’s gonna help me and my family, and that’s it. It’s sad. It’s really sad.”

According to the data, some 318,802 residents (12.5%) across Riverside County rely on CalFresh — California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Across the country, that number balloons to more than 42 million, including more than 5.1 million people in California.

Cuts to aid as demand spikes

New funding cuts and eligibility requirements that formed a key part of the GOP spending package, HR1 — signed into law in July 2025 — now threaten access to those benefits.

Among the new requirements, able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not have a disability or a child under 14 in their household are required to work, volunteer, attend school, or participate in job training for at least 20 hours a week. Those who do not meet the requirement can receive CalFresh benefits for only three months within a three-year period.

There are exemptions, including for those who are pregnant, have qualifying health conditions, or are caring for a young child. A person’s ABAWD status is reviewed when they apply for benefits or during their annual recertification.

To help recipients determine whether the requirement applies to them, the California Department of Social Services offers an online screening tool.

The changes carry particular significance in parts of Riverside County, where data show that 13.8% of residents already struggle with food insecurity and where CalFresh participation is already higher than the national average.

According to the Congressional District Health Dashboard, 26% of residents in California’s 39th Congressional District, which includes the city of Riverside and Moreno Valley, participated in CalFresh during the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with a national average of 16.9%.

Participation is even higher in the neighboring 25th Congressional District, which includes Indio and Coachella, where 39.5% of residents participate in the program. The district also faces elevated levels of food insecurity: an estimated 27.6% of adults reported in 2023 that they did not have enough food and lacked the money to buy more, compared with 17% nationally.

Inflationary pressures squeeze residents

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery prices nationwide have risen by about 2.7% since July 2025. That follows a 2.3% increase in 2024 and 5.8% increase in 2023. The cumulative effect is increasing pressure on households that were already struggling to afford food.

“The uncertainties and the lack of work [is overwhelming],” said one man who asked to remain anonymous. Speaking in Spanish, he added, “even if you have a job, you can’t just go to the store and spend as much money as you used to.”

Luz Flores said she has applied for CalFresh several times but has never been approved. “I’ve been coming here for almost a year now because you can’t buy everything you need at the store,” she said in Spanish. “It’s just too expensive.”

The local chapter of Feeding America, a national nonprofit that supplies pantries throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has expressed concern that the new CalFresh requirements could leave more residents without benefits.

Rachel Bonilla, marketing and engagement manager at Feeding America Riverside, said cuts to CalFresh could have serious consequences for residents already struggling with the region’s high cost of living. A single person earning about $2,600 a month, she said, may spend nearly $2,000 on a one-bedroom apartment, leaving little for other necessities.

Without assistance, Bonilla said, many recipients may have few options to make up the difference. Over time, she warned, that level of insecurity can take a toll on both physical and mental health.

“Before, if you weren’t making enough, then you could get CalFresh. If you needed health insurance, maybe you could go on Medi-Cal and get that covered.” She said those forms of assistance now feel less attainable, placing additional pressure on families already struggling to make ends meet.

Alerting the community

Feeding America Riverside is also working to ensure that its network of more than 250 community partners across Riverside and San Bernardino counties is properly informed about the new requirements. She added the organization is able to meet current demand, but it expects the need for assistance to rise significantly.

That makes continued community support especially important, Bonilla said. Residents can help by donating shelf-stable goods, volunteering or contributing financially. She also pointed to the organization’s gleaning program, which relies on volunteers to collect excess produce from local farms and house fruit trees and distribute it through its partner network.

For every dollar donated, said Bonilla, Feeding America provides up to four meals for people facing hunger.

ACoM spoke with several Riverside residents who receive CalFresh benefits, including people experiencing homelessness. None said they knew about the new federal work and community engagement requirements.

Marivel Castañeda, a supervising program specialist with the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, Self-Sufficiency community outreach branch, said the department is expanding its outreach across the county.

She noted staff are attending community events in multiple places such as Desert Hot Springs, Jurupa Valley, Temecula and Perris, bringing mobile units to provide information about the department’s programs while also explaining the new requirements.

People interested in learning where the department will be conducting outreach can check its online events calendar for upcoming locations and dates.

Additionally, Castañeda said the county’s first step was to make sure its own workers understood the changes to be better able to explain them to residents.

‘Out of options’

Allison Gonzalez is Riverside County’s assistant director of Self Sufficiency, the division that administers CalFresh. She acknowledged the challenge ahead.

“I do think it will be a challenge for the counties across the state to meet the needs of the number of individuals we have that are facing these new work requirements,” Gonzalez said.

To prepare, she continued, the county has been working with other county departments, local colleges and community-based organizations to connect residents with employment, education and volunteer opportunities.

Gonzalez said that early collaboration has also helped the county identify additional resources for residents who may need to meet the new eligibility requirements. She pointed to Connect IE, a regional online platform where residents can search for jobs, educational programs and volunteer opportunities.

The task is significant in scale. Riverside County estimates that 111,018 beneficiaries are subject to the new work requirements. Of those, 65,206 are currently considered non-exempt and will be evaluated for a possible exemption during their annual eligibility redetermination.

“Morale is really low with families,” said Bonilla. “They’re frustrated, and they’re kind of feeling like they’re out of options.”