Hi Lourdes! I just wanted to share my experience as someone who was in almost the exact same situation last year. My boyfriend lost his warehouse job and was really struggling with depression while I was working part-time at a grocery store with our 2-year-old. Adding him to our CalWORKs case was honestly one of the best decisions we made, even though it felt overwhelming at first. A few things that really helped us: **The financial impact was immediate** - we got an extra $175/month which made such a huge difference for diapers, groceries, and gas. That money literally kept us afloat while he was getting back on his feet. **The WTW requirements weren't as bad as expected** - since you're already working 25 hours, he'll only need about 10 hours of activities. Our worker let him start with just online job search through CalJOBS for the first month while he adjusted to the program. **Mental health support was a game changer** - they connected him with free counseling through the county mental health services, which honestly helped more than any job search activity. Once he started feeling better mentally, everything else fell into place. **Document everything now** - start gathering his ID, Social Security card, and that construction job termination letter. Having everything ready made our interview so much smoother. The program really can be a lifeline when you need it most. You're already showing great responsibility by working and planning ahead. Don't let the paperwork scare you - the extra support is so worth it! Feel free to ask if you have specific questions about the process. You've got this! 💪

Hi Lourdes! I'm a mom who just went through this process about 4 months ago, and I want to give you some encouragement - you're asking all the right questions and you're going to be just fine! A few quick tips that saved me a lot of stress: - Call ahead to confirm your interview appointment the day before - sometimes they have to reschedule and it's better to know in advance - Bring copies of everything, not just originals - they'll want to keep copies for your file - If your boyfriend gets overwhelmed during the interview, it's totally okay to ask for a break or to reschedule part of it One thing I wish I'd known: they have a "Resource Specialist" at most offices who can help connect you to additional community resources like food banks, utility assistance, and childcare help. Definitely ask to speak with one during your visit. The whole process took about 3 weeks from application to first payment for us, and that extra monthly assistance (we got $165 more) has been such a relief. Your retail experience plus his construction background actually puts you both in a good position - workers love to see people with real work history who just need temporary help. You sound like you're being so thoughtful about this decision, and that tells me you're going to handle whatever comes up. Rooting for your family! 🤗

Just checking back - were you able to get cash back at a store or get through to someone at the county? If multiple locations are having the same issue, it's likely an account-specific problem rather than a general system outage.

So glad you were able to get your rent money! The ATM issue is really frustrating but at least the cash back workaround saved the day. You might want to call the EBT customer service line (when you have more time) to report that the ATMs aren't working - sometimes they don't know about these issues unless people report them. Also keep an eye on whether this happens again next month, because if it does it might be worth getting a replacement card just in case there's something wrong with the magnetic strip that only affects ATM transactions.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by this incredible success story and the outstanding level of support everyone provided! @Zainab, huge congratulations on your hard-fought victory - your persistence through multiple incorrect denials is truly inspiring and demonstrates what determined advocacy can accomplish. What really strikes me as someone new to navigating these systems is how your experience highlights such serious training gaps among eligibility workers. The fact that you had to escalate three times just to find someone who understood that VA Chapter 35 benefits are educational assistance rather than regular income is deeply concerning - and makes you wonder how many other deserving students are being wrongfully denied without knowing they can fight back. This thread has become an absolutely invaluable resource! From the specific MPP section citations to practical tools like Claimyr, the community's response shows the incredible power of shared knowledge and experience. Your detailed documentation of what actually worked - bringing specific regulations, VA documentation, school schedules, and escalating to knowledgeable supervisors - creates a perfect roadmap for other families facing similar bureaucratic battles. This is exactly why communities like this are so essential for helping people overcome systemic barriers that shouldn't exist in the first place. Thank you for refusing to give up on your daughter's case and for taking the time to share your victory with such detail. This thread will undoubtedly help countless other veterans' families secure the benefits they're rightfully entitled to!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely inspired by this incredible thread and @Zainab's amazing victory! Your persistence through multiple incorrect denials really shows what determined advocacy can accomplish when navigating these complex benefit systems. What strikes me most as someone new to understanding CalFresh and VA benefits is how this case reveals such concerning training gaps. The fact that multiple eligibility workers didn't understand that Chapter 35 benefits are educational assistance rather than regular income is deeply troubling - it makes you wonder how many other deserving students are going without food assistance simply because they don't know they can push back and escalate. The level of expertise and practical support this community provided is remarkable. From the specific MPP section citations to tools like Claimyr, everyone contributed real, actionable knowledge that directly helped resolve this situation. This thread has become such a comprehensive resource showing not just the problems students face, but the exact step-by-step solutions that actually work. Your detailed follow-up about what succeeded - bringing documentation, citing specific regulations, escalating to knowledgeable supervisors - creates an invaluable roadmap for other families facing similar battles. It's exactly why communities like this are so crucial for helping people overcome bureaucratic barriers that shouldn't exist in the first place. Thank you for not giving up on your daughter and for sharing your journey with such detail. This thread will undoubtedly help countless other veterans' families get the benefits they're entitled to!

I'm new to this community and just started my CalWORKs application last week! This thread has been incredibly helpful - I was getting so much conflicting information from friends and family about how payments work. Reading through everyone's experiences really cleared things up for me. It sounds like the confusion about "split payments" is super common because people mix up CalWORKs cash aid (which comes all at once) with CalFresh food benefits (which get split if over $200). I'm still waiting to hear back about my application status, but now I know what to expect when I do get approved. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so reassuring to find a community where people actually understand these programs and are willing to help newcomers navigate everything! Also definitely going to ask about that diaper benefit when I meet with my worker since I have an 18-month-old. Had no idea that was even a thing!

I'm also new to this community and just got approved for CalWORKs about two weeks ago! This thread has been so helpful because I had the exact same question when I first got approved. My caseworker explained it really clearly during my appointment - CalWORKs Cash Aid always comes as one payment per month, usually within the first few days based on your case number. The confusion about "split payments" that so many people have (including me at first!) comes from CalFresh benefits getting split into two payments when they're over $200. I just got my first CalWORKs payment last week and it came all at once on the 1st, just like everyone here is saying. It's such a relief to have that certainty for budgeting purposes, especially as a single parent trying to make sure rent and bills are covered. Thanks to everyone who's been sharing their experiences - it really helps us newcomers understand what to expect! This community seems like such a great resource for navigating all these different programs.

@Andre Dupont - I'm a single mom who used CalWORKs housing assistance about 8 months ago when we faced eviction. Reading your story brought back all those sleepless nights worrying about my kids. This community has given you AMAZING advice! I want to add one thing that really helped me - when you go tomorrow, bring a simple list of questions written down so you don't forget anything in the stress of the moment: 1. "I need to apply for both HA-TEMP and HA-PERM due to housing crisis" 2. "Can my case be marked for expedited processing since I have children facing homelessness?" 3. "What is the timeline for temporary motel vouchers?" 4. "Can I speak with the Homeless Prevention Specialist?" Also, if they say "we don't have that program" or seem confused, don't give up! Politely ask for a supervisor. Some workers genuinely don't know about all the housing programs available. The emergency assistance calls you made tonight were smart - even $200-300 from a local church or nonprofit can help with application fees or moving supplies while CalWORKs processes. You're being such a strong advocate for your kids. The fact that you researched all this and came prepared shows you're doing everything right. This situation is temporary - in a month you'll be in stable housing telling someone else how you made it through. Keep us posted tomorrow! We're all cheering you on.

@Andre Dupont - I'm a CalWORKs case manager and wanted to jump in with some official clarification since there's a lot of great advice here but also some confusion about timelines and requirements. First - you do NOT need to wait for full CalWORKs approval before applying for housing assistance. Emergency housing services can be processed simultaneously with your initial application when you're facing imminent homelessness. Here's the official process: 1. **HA-TEMP (Temporary)**: Can be approved within 24-72 hours for motel vouchers (up to 16 days) 2. **HA-PERM (Permanent)**: Typically 7-14 business days if all verification is complete 3. **Immediate Need Payment**: Can provide emergency cash within 3 business days When you go in tomorrow, specifically ask for the "Homeless Prevention Unit" and bring your 30-day notice, IDs for all family members, and any income documentation. Even if paperwork isn't perfect, we can start processing. The program covers security deposit (up to 2 months rent) AND first month's rent, paid directly to landlord. You're also eligible for utility deposits in most counties. Don't let anyone tell you these programs don't exist - they're mandated by state law. If a worker seems unfamiliar, ask for a Housing Services Specialist or supervisor immediately. Your situation with minor children and a formal eviction notice qualifies as "emergency homeless prevention" which gets priority processing. You've got this - the system works when you know how to navigate it properly.