SAN DIEGO, CA — The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted 4-0 to accept a $2.3 million state grant used to promote a health-based education programs in underserved communities.
According to the county, the CalFresh Healthy Living program will fund numerous projects, including active lifestyle promotion, developing community gardens, improving physical education in five school districts, recruiting and training residents to advocate for neighborhood improvements, and transportation.
The money comes from the California Department of Public Health, the county said in a news release.
The program is focused on allowing current or potential enrollees in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program “to make healthy food choices and engage in physically active lifestyles, reducing their health risks long term,” according to the county.
In San Diego County, SNAP is called CalFresh. The program serves over 402,000 residents, and is targeted to communities where over 50% of households earn below 200% of the federal poverty level, county officials said.
According to the county, program enrollment has increased roughly 6% since 2023.
During Tuesday’s meeting, board Chairwoman Nora Vargas said said the Cal Fresh program has increased fresh food access by 33% in certain underserved communities.
