Confused about CalFresh emergency allotment vs unexpected cash deposit - what's happening?

That's actually probably not related to CalFresh at all. It sounds like you might have been approved for CalWORKs (cash aid) without realizing it. Did you recently do your annual recertification or submit any new applications? Sometimes when you apply for one benefit, they automatically evaluate you for others if you qualify. I'd definitely call your county to confirm before spending it so you don't get hit with an overpayment notice later.

this happened to me last year! turned out i got approved for calfresh AND calworks even tho i thought i was just applying for food stamps. the cash part is calworks not calfresh. they're different programs on the same ebt card. if u have kids or are pregnant u might qualify for both

Emergency allotments for CalFresh ended in April 2023, so this definitely isn't that. As others have mentioned, it sounds like you've been approved for CalWORKs, which is California's cash aid program for families with children. During your recertification, if your income qualified you for both programs, the worker would have processed both benefits. You should have received a Notice of Action (NOA) explaining your approval for CalWORKs and the benefit amount. Check your mail or your online benefits account at BenefitsCal.com. The letter will confirm if you've been approved and for how much. This isn't a mistake if you qualified, but you will have additional reporting requirements with CalWORKs. You'll need to submit a SAR7 every six months for both programs, plus CalWORKs has welfare-to-work requirements unless you have an exemption.

the same exact thing happened to my cousin last month!! she got cash out of nowhere and freaked out thinking it was a mistake. she called the county and waited on hold for like 2 hours just to find out she was approved for calworks. they never even told her they were considering her for it! the system is so bad at communicating anything clearly 🙄

U should spend it before they realize the mistake lol jk don't do that. But for real CalWORKs has a bunch of requirements so make sure u know what they are. My sister had to do job training and meet with a case worker every month to keep getting it

The cash deposit IS NOT an emergency allotment. CalFresh emergency allotments ended in April 2023 as part of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act. What you're describing is definitely CalWORKs (cash aid) being added to your EBT card. Did you know your EBT card has two separate balances? One for food benefits (CalFresh) and one for cash benefits (CalWORKs). They're completely different programs with different rules. For CalWORKs with a child, you'll typically need to participate in Welfare-to-Work activities for 20-30 hours per week depending on your family situation. Since you mentioned having a 4-year-old, you'll likely need to meet with a Welfare-to-Work counselor to set up a plan. Your existing part-time job may fulfill some or all of the requirement. Check your mail carefully for any Notices of Action that explain your approval and requirements. If you can't find them, definitely contact your county office.

make sure u know what the income reporting threshold is for calworks, its different than calfresh! if u go over it and don't report within 10 days u could get an overpayment that u have to pay back

Just to add to what everyone is saying - now that you have CalWORKs, your time on aid is limited. Most adults can only receive CalWORKs for a total of 48 months (4 years) in their lifetime. The months don't have to be consecutive, but they add up over time. CalFresh doesn't have a time limit like this. Make sure you understand all the requirements so you don't lose benefits or get unexpected overpayments!