Just approved for CalFresh with $400/month - Is there extra food money I should get too?

congrats on getting approved! there used to be emergency allotments during covid where everyone got max benefits but that ended like 3 years ago. your neighbor is probably talking about something else. maybe shes getting calfresh AND calworks? or the school p-ebt for kids? what exact "extra" did she mention?

Welcome to the CalFresh community! The $400 you're receiving is your standard CalFresh benefit based on your household size, income, and expenses. There are a few potential "extras" your neighbor might be referring to: 1. P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) - This was temporary during COVID and is no longer active 2. CalWORKs - This is cash aid separate from CalFresh that requires its own application 3. School Meal EBT - During summer months, eligible children get extra food benefits 4. Emergency supplements - Sometimes available during disasters in specific counties If you applied just for CalFresh, you wouldn't automatically get CalWORKs. You'd need to apply separately through your county office or BenefitsCal website. The Summer EBT program might be relevant for your kids though - those benefits typically come automatically if your children qualify for free school meals.

YOUR TALKING ABOUT CALWORKS!!! Its CASH AID not food stamps. Totally different program but you can get both. I get calfresh ($620) AND calworks ($1150) for me and my 3 kids. You gotta apply separate for calworks and its WAY more paperwork and they make you do welfare to work program unless you got a baby under 1. APPLY ASAP on benefitscal!!!!!

Just to add a bit more clarity - CalFresh (what you have) is specifically for food purchases. CalWORKs is cash aid for families with children that can be used for any necessities (rent, bills, etc). They're completely separate programs with different eligibility requirements, though many families qualify for both. For your specific situation with two school-age children, I'd recommend checking on the Summer EBT program (sometimes called Summer P-EBT) which provides additional food benefits during summer months for eligible children. This happens automatically if your children are enrolled in free/reduced school meals, but sometimes there are glitches in the system. The county should notify you by mail if your children are eligible for Summer EBT, but it's always good to call and check. Unfortunately, the CalFresh customer service lines can be nearly impossible to get through on.

I was in the exact same situation last year! Kept hearing about "extra benefits" from friends but got so confused trying to figure it out. Spent literally HOURS on hold with the county office trying to get answers. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual human at the county office in like 15 minutes. You might want to check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 I used it to ask about all the different benefits my family might qualify for besides CalFresh. Turns out we were eligible for CalWORKs too, and I had no idea! The website is claimyr.com if you want to skip the hold times.

To answer your exact question - no, there is no "extra" that automatically comes with CalFresh now. Your $400 benefit is the standard CalFresh amount based on your household size, income, expenses, etc. However! If you haven't already, make sure you reported all your expenses during your application/interview, especially: - Full housing costs (rent/mortgage + utilities) - Child care expenses - Medical expenses for any disabled/elderly household members Missing deductions is the #1 reason people get less benefits than they should. You can request a recalculation if you forgot to report any of these.

Good news! Yes, reporting your after-school care costs of $250/month could potentially increase your CalFresh benefits. Child care expenses are an important deduction in the CalFresh calculation. You should call your county office and report this change as soon as possible. You can say you need to report a "change in household circumstances" - specifically additional dependent care costs that you forgot to include in your initial application. Be prepared with documentation if they request it (receipts or a letter from the provider). Once processed, if you're eligible for increased benefits, they may also provide retroactive benefits back to your application date. Don't delay in reporting this!

also FYI the benefit amount changes based on inflation every october. last year most households saw like a 3% increase. so ur $400 might go up a little bit in october automatically

Welcome to the community! Congrats on getting approved for CalFresh - that's a huge relief! Just to clarify what others have mentioned, the "extra" benefits your neighbor might be referring to could be several things: 1. **CalWORKs** - This is cash assistance (not food stamps) that you apply for separately. It's totally different from CalFresh but you can get both if you qualify. 2. **Summer EBT** - Since your kids are 7 and 10, if they get free school meals, they should automatically get extra food benefits during summer break. This usually shows up on a separate card. 3. **WIC** - If you have kids under 5 or are pregnant/breastfeeding, this provides additional food benefits for specific items like milk, eggs, cereal. Definitely report those after-school care costs someone mentioned - that could bump up your CalFresh amount! And don't forget to check if you're eligible for CalWORKs too since you have two kids. The application process is more intensive but the cash benefits can really help with rent and other expenses. Good luck and feel free to ask more questions - this community is super helpful!

Hey Ethan! Congrats on getting approved - I know how stressful that waiting period can be! Your neighbor might also be thinking of the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) if she's an immigrant who doesn't qualify for regular CalFresh, or possibly getting benefits from multiple programs stacked together. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're working and have very low income, you might qualify for the Earned Income Disregard which can help you keep more benefits even as your income goes up slightly. Also, if anyone in your household has a disability or is over 60, there are additional deductions available. Since you mentioned your kids are 7 and 10, definitely keep an eye out for the Summer EBT cards - they usually arrive in the mail around May/June if your kids qualify through their school's free lunch program. It's about $40 per month per child for the summer months. The after-school care expense someone mentioned is definitely worth reporting! That $250/month could potentially increase your monthly benefits. When you call, ask them to also review all your other expenses to make sure you're getting the maximum amount you're eligible for.