FINAL_22_21_DPSS_AnnualReport

RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES

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year in economic activity for Riverside County grocers, farmers markets, restaurants, and online retailers. At Tan’s Pizza in Desert Hot Springs, owner Tanzeel Chaudhary lets customers, who qualify for the county’s Restaurant Meals Program, buy pizza and other items with their EBT card. The Restaurant Meals Program allows homeless, disabled and older adults (over age 60) to use their CalFresh benefits to buy hot, nutritious food at over 200 participating restaurants countywide. “It’s helping people and it’s helping business,” Chaudhary said. “EBT provides me with an extra $2,000 per month, around $25,000 a year, so it’s added to my revenue,” he said. Before opening Tan’s Pizza, Chaudhary used CalFresh benefits, which inspired him to offer the same assistance to his customers. “When it was time for me to get help, the government supported me. Now, I’m able to support people.”

An employee at Tan’s Pizza in Desert Hot Springs makes a fresh order for a customer.

CalFresh Highlights

• 278,247 households enrolled in CalFresh in Riverside County in the 2021/2022 fiscal year. Enrollment boosted by nearly 24,000 households from the year prior.

• Restaurant Meals Program serves over 88,000 customers in Riverside County

• Over 200 Riverside County restaurants participate in the Restaurant Meals Program, which grew by five restaurants and nearly 20 more pending in the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

• Customers contribute $8.2 million in CalFresh benefits at participating restaurants in Riverside County’s Restaurant Meals Program

Annual Report 2021/2022