By the Numbers.

Poverty in CA:

• In 2016, there were 5,891,057 people experiencing poverty in the state of California, or 15.3% of the states population.
• The California Supplemental Poverty Measure, a more accurate measurement, is 20.6%.
• Sadly, 22.8% of a the state’s children live in families living below the poverty line (24,250 for a family of 4).
  • In Fresno County the child poverty rate is as 38.9%!
• California is ranked 51st in the nation for affordable housing.

CA Food Insecurity:

• The Food Insecurity rate in California is 12.5%, or 4,885,220 people struggling to maintain a regular source of adequate, nutritious food.
• 33% of all food bank clients and SSI recipients struggling to put food on the table.

SNAP/CalFresh in California:

• Only 70% of all eligible participate in CalFresh:
  • 74% are household with children,
  • 50% are working families,
  • 30% are families with elderly or disable members.
• The CalFresh program kept 806,000 out of poverty-417,000 of which were children (2009-2012)
• More facts and figures about CalFresh.

CalWORKs:

• CalWORKs families live at 30% of the Federal Poverty Line.
• Cuts to the CalWORKs program over the last 2 decades has give 1.1 billion dollars annually for the state budget.

Suplemental Security Income (SSI):

• In 2017, the maximum SSI federal benefit is $735 per month, or 73% of the federal poverty level.
• The average SSI benefit is only $435.
• Women, disproportionately Asian, Black, and Latina, are the majority of SSI/SSP recipients.
• The state has saved an estimated $10 billion from the cuts to these recipients.
• California is the only state where SSI/SSP recipients are barred from receiving food stamps.
• More information about SSI.