Throughout the semester, MSJC has organized CalFresh workshops for MSJC students that provide assistance and information regarding available resources that may be eligible to students attending MSJC. CalFresh is the largest food program in California, providing benefits and food assistance to low-income individuals and families. On Thursday, November 13th, the Menifee Valley MSJC hosted Cal Benefits representatives to help students with questions or concerns regarding the program.
The Cal Benefits representatives were located in the MCV Quad on the Menifee campus, where they were available from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. A truck with two representatives distributed multiple flyers about the different programs under Calbenefits. They also had a computer in their vehicle to guide interested students through the application process. CalFresh Rep Wendy stated that CalFresh outreach was important because “A lot of students are unaware that they are eligible for food stamps.” She also expressed that these benefits may also be helpful to many students as the rise in groceries and life expenses continues to increase. Wendy also mentioned that while food assistance is one program available to eligible students, “Many students are in need of our services, Medi-Cal, which is health insurance, CalFresh, which is food stamps, and also cash assistance.”
In October 2025, the federal government experienced a shutdown, which led to a momentary pause on CalFresh and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) programs. The government shutdown put a hold on additional funding for SNAP programs, and many recipients received only partial payments in November. Since the reopening of the government on November 12th, these programs have restored funding and are disbursing the remaining benefits that were not received to the December installments.
MSJC alumnus Jasmine was asked about the pause in benefits. She explained how she relied on programs like CalFresh while she was in college. She explained, “These programs actually really helped me during my college life.” She further stated that receiving food assistance and Medi-Cal helped alleviate the stress caused by external factors while she was attending college. She said, “I was going through a lot when I was getting benefits, but I don’t think I would’ve been able to focus on school without receiving that extra help.”
MSJC’s CalFresh events are an example of campus outreach that can help students with additional resources to relieve some of the financial stresses of college life. A report from the The nonpartisan California Policy Lab (CPL) released in 2024 found that nearly 100,600 students received CalFresh benefits. Still, an estimated 297,400 eligible students missed out on benefits that could have paid for their food (Coffey, 2024).
By hosting events like this, MSJC provides its students with information and guidance on food assistance programs and other benefits. With such a large gap between eligible students and those who are actually receiving benefits, campus outreach plays a significant role in reaching uninformed students.
For more information about available resources for MSJC students, you can contact [email protected] or visit their office at the San Jacinto Campus, room 1425, or the Menifee Valley Campus, room 2106.
