CalFresh Eligibility

The Foster Youth Resilience in Education FYRE Scholars program at the University of California, Irvine strives to provide support to current and former foster youth attending UCI. This program aims to create a network that enhances the academic success and personal well-being of current and former foster youth attending UCI. We guarantee a welcoming community for individuals who have faced similar experiences. We promote transitional and educational opportunities in support of student learning and success. Thus, assisting FYRE scholars in gaining the necessary skills to become self-supporting, successful individuals who go on to transform their college experience into meaningful careers and lives.

The FYRE Scholars Program increases employability for current and former foster youth at the University of California, Irvine. As well, the FYRE Scholars Program helps, guides, and prepares students for post-secondary admission to graduate and professional schools.

Provides assistance in support of employability by providing current and/or former foster youth, first-generation college students, and students from low-income households and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds with:

• Mentorship Opportunities
• Access to Academic Programs
• Financial Aid Assistance
• Counseling/Advising
• Post-Grad Exploration and Planning
• Other Campus Support Services & Referrals

All FYRE Scholars commit and complete a yearly contract. They must complete a total of nine workshops per academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and three of those workshops must be from the career/employability preparation criteria below. Scholars will submit workshop their completion via the FYRE Canvas Page by the designed due date each quarter. FYRE Scholars are expected to participate in a minimum of three career/employability preparation workshops per academic year.

Therefore being enrolled in this FYRE Scholars Program increases the student’s employability, college completion rate, and is equivalent to an Employment and Training (E & T) component. [Federal regulation 7 CFR Section 273.5(b)(11) provides that a student is eligible for an exemption from the CalFresh student eligibility rule if the student’s attendance can be described as part of a program to increase the student’s employability.] This includes programs specially targeted at current and former foster youth enrolled in a program to increase employability for current and former foster youth including Guardian Scholars Program, Foster Youth Success Initiative, Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support, Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program, and Extended Foster Care (AB 12/AB 212). [ACL 17-05.]