A County of San Diego staff member said the county, in partnership with VVSD, is offering on-the-spot Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card printing for people eligible for CalFresh and is connecting people experiencing homelessness to housing and other support services.

"So the county of San Diego in partnership with VVSD has partnered up to deliver these services to these individuals. 1 of the resources that we have and we've been using it already is our EBT printing machine, which allows us to be able to print an EBT card right on the spot, for someone who's eligible to CalFresh or maybe they just need a replacement card. We can print that card right here, hand it to that individual, which they can actually take it to a grocery store and buy food and vegetables that they need to live a healthier life," the staff member said.

During public comment, a resident described the program as aimed at people without housing. "You're homeless. That's what this is for. People, you come down here, and they'll find you a house," the resident said, adding that staff help people find "a place to live to keep you alive, and they'll find you resources to help you try to get your mind straight, at least enough to survive, because it's crazy out there."

The staff member also said some people were unaware they qualified for benefits. "Some individuals had no idea that they were eligible to summon these programs. So just gaining that knowledge that they can then share with their friends, it's a great feeling," the staff member said.

The meeting transcript did not specify program locations, operating hours, the full name or role of the staff speaker, whether VVSD is a county agency or an external partner, or funding sources for the EBT printing service. No formal motions or votes were recorded in the provided transcript excerpts.