Programs

Many of the people who seek our help can usually pay their bills until something unexpected happens. Car expenses. Medical bills. Higher gas prices. Reduced hours at work. River City Food Bank helps the working poor as well as those on fixed incomes or facing serious illnesses.

CalFresh Outreach Department

CalFresh assistance is currently available during our distribution hours by appointment (drop in is also welcome) at both Midtown and Arden-Arcade locations:

Midtown: Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30am- 1:30pm

Arden-Arcade: Every Friday from 10:30am- 12:30pm

Interested in applying or have questions? Call us at 916-233-4075 or fill out the CalFresh Referral Form and email it back to us at

Important Updates to CalFresh Benefits

Extra Emergency Allotment is extended into September – September 13^th will be the next day for additional deposits to be put on the EBT card, if the CalFresh household is not receiving the maximum benefit amount. This extra allotment will go on again next month – October 18^th.

Hot Food available through Wed. Sept 23^rd for any CalFresh recipient who lives in 17 counties including Sacramento. This means they can buy hot, prepared food at any grocery store or food market that accepts EBT.

New Farmers Market accepting EBT – Wednesdays at Winn Park from 3-7:30pm. Winn Park is located at 28^th st. between P and Q sts. This is not only a Farmers Market, but also craft vendors and food trucks. Check out the array of offerings at this midtown weekly event!

Phone Interview Waiver Ends – As of September 1^st, all CalFresh households will be required to have a phone interview to apply or for renewal. This had been waived for the past several months if the county had all the documentation in their system.

On-line shopping continues with your EBT card – CalFresh recipients can use their funds to buy groceries online through Walmart and Amazon and have them delivered to your home! If you order over $35 the delivery fee is free! – see attached flier. https://www.cdss.ca.gov/ebt-online.

CalFresh Outreach Staff

CalFresh Outreach Director, Amy Dierlam

Amy Dierlam, CalFresh Outreach Director, can be reached at

Evelyn Rodriguez, CalFresh Outreach Assistant, can be reached at

*Hablo Espanol*

Services are available in English and Spanish.

Staff is available to table at community events upon request.

We can help you:

Apply for CalFresh
Reschedule your CalFresh appointment
Fill out and submit report forms and other paperwork
Discover the nearest Farmers’ Market that accepts EBT, CalFresh’s debit-like payment card
Request a new EBT card
Assist with trouble-shooting your CalFresh case

Useful Information for CalFresh Recipients:

California EBT website can be used to check account balance and view transaction history.
You can use your CalFresh benefits at some Farmers’ Markets.
List of food items that can be purchased with CalFresh
You can finds stores that accept CalFresh here

CalFresh Materials Available for Download:

CalFresh brochure: English
CalFresh brochure: Spanish
CalFresh brochure: Hmong
CalFresh brochure: Chinese

CalFresh Facts:

CalFresh benefits are FREE but you must apply to get them. There are millions of Californians who qualify but have not applied.
People who qualify for CalFresh receive benefits on a plastic debit-like card called the Golden State Advantage, it’s also known as EBT card.
If your family receives CalFresh then your children may also be eligible to receive free school breakfast and lunch at school.
It doesn’t matter if you own a car, house, or have money in the bank. You may still qualify for CalFresh.

River City Food Bank works in partnership with Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, Community Link Capital Region, and Asian Resources Inc. to promote CalFresh awareness in Sacramento County. Together, we are working to end food insecurity in our community.