Confused about WINS vs. CalFresh EBT - are they the same benefit or separate?

WINS and CalFresh are two different things! WINS stands for Work Incentive Nutritional Supplement and it's a small extra benefit for working CalFresh recipients. The $10 WINS payment means you've been approved for CalFresh, but they just haven't loaded your regular CalFresh benefits or told you the amount yet. You should receive a separate notice about your actual CalFresh benefit amount, which would typically be much higher than $10 based on your income. If you haven't received that notice within a few days, I'd call your county office to check on the status.

Thats def not ur full CalFresh amount! WINS is a seprate small bonus for ppl who work. You should be getting WAY more than $10 with ur income unless u have like zero expenses or something. I get like $200+ and I make about what u do. Did u check ur actual EBT card balance? Sometimes they load the benefits before they even send u the approval letter lol. The system is weird.

Your WINS and CalFresh benefits are separate. WINS is a $10 supplemental benefit for working families who qualify for CalFresh. Based on your income of $1,950/month (assuming you're a household of 1), you should qualify for approximately $185-245 in CalFresh benefits, depending on your housing costs, utilities, and other deductions. It's unusual that you received notification about WINS but not your actual CalFresh benefit amount. This could indicate one of several issues: 1. There may be a delay in processing the final CalFresh amount 2. Your notice might have been sent but not received 3. There could be a technical issue in the BenefitsCal system 4. They may need additional verification documents I recommend calling your county office directly to check on your application status. What county are you in?

WINS is totally different from EBT. I was sooooo confused by this too when I first got approved! I thought they were giving me $10 a month for food and I was like are they serious?!? 😂 But then a few days later I got a text that my EBT card was being mailed and when I got it had like $250 on it. Check your mail carefully - the EBT card comes in a very plain envelope that looks like junk mail!

The county offices are SOOOO backed up right now it's not even funny. I had to wait almost 2 months for my calfresh to be fully processed even after getting approved. The WINS comes through on a different system than regular CalFresh which is why you're seeing that first. But I'm guessing your regular EBT is stuck in their processing backlog. Have you tried calling the county office? Good luck getting through though, I spent DAYS trying to reach someone.

you prob hav more verification they need. did u check ur TASKS section in benefitscal? sometimes they add new required docs there without telling u. missing verification = delay in gettin ur benefits. also make sure they have ur correct address cuz they might have mailed u something. happened to me and i almost lost benefits cuz i missed the letter.

Based on what you've shared, here's what I recommend: 1. First, call the Alameda County CalFresh office at 510-263-2420 to check your application status and confirm your benefit amount 2. Ask specifically if your case is fully processed or if there's anything delaying your regular CalFresh benefits 3. Confirm when your EBT card was or will be mailed 4. Request an Expedited CalFresh determination if you're in immediate need (they should process this within 3 days) With your income and expenses, you should qualify for a significant benefit - definitely much more than just the $10 WINS supplement. The determination letter should show the exact calculation based on your specific deductions. Don't worry, this separation between WINS and regular CalFresh notifications is common but confusing for first-time applicants.

Any update? Did u get through to anyone? I'm curious if u found out ur actual benefit amount yet

This is such a perfect example of how confusing the system can be for new applicants! I'm so glad you got it figured out and that $238/month will definitely make a huge difference. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation - the key takeaway is that WINS and CalFresh are completely separate benefits, and getting the WINS notification first is actually a good sign that your CalFresh is approved too, just processed on different timelines. Thanks for following up with the resolution, it's really helpful for other community members who might face the same confusion!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm a CalFresh eligibility worker and I see this confusion ALL the time. You're absolutely right that the system could communicate this better. For anyone who finds this thread in the future - here's a quick breakdown: • WINS = $10 monthly supplement for working CalFresh recipients (processed separately) • CalFresh EBT = your main food benefit amount (much higher, based on income/expenses) • Getting WINS notification first usually means your regular CalFresh is approved too, just delayed The separation happens because WINS runs through a different state system than regular CalFresh benefits. I always tell my clients to expect both notifications, but they rarely arrive together. Really glad you got your $238/month sorted out - that's a great benefit amount that should help a lot with groceries!

This is such a great thread to find! I'm currently waiting on my CalFresh decision (applied 2 weeks ago) and had no idea about WINS being separate. This totally explains why some people in other forums mention getting small amounts first before their main benefits. I'm definitely going to save this info so I don't panic if I see a $10 notification before hearing about my regular benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so helpful to hear from both recipients and an actual eligibility worker!

This thread is incredibly valuable! As someone who went through the exact same confusion about 6 months ago, I can totally relate to that panic of thinking $10 was going to be my entire food budget. The lack of clear communication from the system really does cause unnecessary stress during what's already a difficult time for most applicants. One thing I'd add for future readers - if you're in a similar situation and need food immediately while waiting for your EBT card, many food banks and pantries don't require you to already be receiving benefits. They can help bridge the gap while you're waiting for the system to catch up. Also, some grocery stores will let you check your EBT balance by phone even before your physical card arrives if you have the card number from your approval notice. It's so great to see this community helping each other navigate these confusing processes. Posts like this probably save dozens of people from the same worry and confusion!