Transitional Food Stamps (TFS) Program

California’s Transitional Food Stamps (TFS) Program provides food stamps for five months to households that leave CalWORKs. The county determines eligibility for TFS without the households having to apply for it. A household is eligible for TFS each time it leaves CalWORKs even if it has received transitional food stamp benefits in the past.

Households that lose CalWORKs because the county sanctions or disqualifies them for reasons that render the household ineligible for food stamps are not eligible for TFS. Those disqualified or not eligible are receiving SSI, are ineligible immigrants, or a fleeing felon; or the household is terminated for failure to complete a periodic report (the QR-7).

Households/members that are approved for (either TANF or food stamps) benefits elsewhere are also not eligible. Households which move out of California can still receive TFS benefits.

Once the household qualifies for TFS, it does not matter if the person would otherwise not be eligible for food stamps, such as becoming an SSI recipient or fleeing felon.