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I went through this exact same situation with my twins last year! What ended up working for me was connecting with my local community resource center - they had partnerships with several organizations that provide diapers regardless of your CalWORKs status. Also, don't give up on the CalWORKs route yet. Like others mentioned, make sure they're calculating ALL your deductions correctly. I was initially told I didn't qualify, but when I brought documentation of my childcare costs and transportation expenses, it changed everything. In the meantime, check out these resources: - Local food banks often have diaper programs - Churches sometimes run diaper pantries (even if you're not a member) - Facebook mom groups in your area - they often share info about diaper drives and giveaways - Some pediatrician offices keep sample diapers they'll give to families in need Hang in there mama, there are people and programs out there to help bridge this gap!
Thank you so much for all these suggestions! I never thought to check with food banks or churches for diapers. And hearing that you were initially told you didn't qualify but then did qualify after bringing documentation gives me hope. I'm going to gather all my childcare receipts and transportation costs and go back to my worker. In the meantime, I'll definitely look into those local Facebook groups too - that's such a great idea!
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I'm new to CalWORKs and this thread is SO helpful! I had no idea about the 10-day reporting rule or how they calculate income. Can someone clarify - when they say "within 10 days," does that mean 10 calendar days or 10 business days? And if I can't get through to my worker by phone, can I report changes by email or do I need to go to the office in person? I'm trying to understand all my options in case I ever need to report a change quickly. Thanks everyone for being so informative!
Hey Fatima! Welcome to the CalWORKs world - it's definitely confusing at first but you'll get the hang of it. The 10 days is calendar days, not business days, so weekends count. As for reporting methods, you can usually report changes multiple ways: phone (though good luck getting through!), in person at the office, through your county's online portal if they have one, or sometimes by fax. Email policies vary by county - some accept it, others don't. I'd recommend asking your worker what methods they accept when you first meet them, and get it in writing if possible. That way you'll know your options ahead of time. Also keep records of when and how you reported - take screenshots, keep fax confirmations, etc. in case there's ever a question about timing!
I'm going through a similar situation right now and wanted to share what I learned from my county worker. When you report the change, ask specifically about the "good cause" provision - sometimes they can waive overpayment collections if you can show the delay in reporting was due to circumstances beyond your control (like reconciling with your spouse and needing time to figure things out). It's not guaranteed, but worth asking about. Also, one thing I didn't see mentioned - make sure to ask about any work-related deductions your husband might qualify for. Things like transportation costs to/from work, work clothes, union dues, etc. can sometimes be deducted from his countable income, which could help reduce the impact on your benefits a little bit. Definitely don't wait any longer though - the overpayment amount just gets bigger each month you don't report. Good luck with everything!
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Thanks everyone for all this info! I'm definitely going to request a review of my case since it sounds like they shouldn't have counted my tax refund as income. And I'll plan for the lower CTC amount just to be safe with my budget. This community is always so helpful - I learn more here than from my actual caseworker half the time!
I'm so glad you found this helpful! It's really frustrating when we get wrong information from workers who are supposed to be helping us. I've been on CalWORKs for 2 years now and I swear I've gotten different answers about the same question from like 4 different people at my county office. For the case review, you can start by calling your worker directly and asking them to remove the overpayment because tax refunds are exempt income. If they give you pushback, ask to speak to a supervisor. You can also file a formal complaint with the county if needed. And yeah, definitely budget for the lower CTC amount - better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed! Those monthly payments in 2021 were amazing but I'm not holding my breath for them to come back anytime soon.
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i added my gf and her kid last year and they wanted everyting for both!!! so bring EVERYTHING you can think of - lease, birth certificates, id's, ssn cards, bills, paystubs, marriage license, bank statements, everything!!!! the welfare office in our county kept asking for more and more stuff and it took like 3 months to finally get them added and get the right benefits. so frustrating!!!
Oh no, 3 months is such a long time! I hope it doesn't take that long for us. Did they give you retroactive benefits for that whole time period once everything was approved? I'm getting worried now about how complicated this might be.
Hey Jade! Congratulations on your new baby and marriage! 🎉 I just went through this exact process 6 months ago when I added my partner and our baby to my case. Here's my advice based on what worked for me: **Bring copies of everything, not just originals!** They kept some of my documents and I'm so glad I had copies. **For timing on reporting changes:** Don't wait for your SAR7 - report household changes within 10 days. I know it seems scary but it's actually better to report right away. They'll do the income calculation and you might be pleasantly surprised - with the baby added, your family size increases which means higher income limits. **Important tip nobody mentioned:** Ask specifically about transitional childcare benefits when you're there. Even though your baby is young now, getting on the waitlist early is smart because there's often a waiting period. Also, bring a snack and water bottle - these appointments can take HOURS! Good luck mama, you've got this! 💪
Kaitlyn Jenkins
Reading through this thread is exactly what I needed right now! I'm on day 1 of waiting for my Cash Aid restoration and already getting anxious about the timing. It's so helpful to see Oliver's update that it actually came through overnight like the supervisor promised. The information about Cash Aid and CalFresh processing separately is really valuable - I had no idea they were on different systems. This community is amazing for sharing real experiences instead of just the official "it takes 1-3 business days" responses we get from the office. Definitely bookmarking this thread for anyone else I know going through benefit restorations!
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Luca Greco
•I'm so glad this thread is helping people in similar situations! When I was waiting those few days, I felt so alone and stressed about it. It really does make a difference to know that other people have gone through the exact same thing and that there's a pattern to how these restorations work. The overnight processing thing seems to be pretty consistent based on everyone's experiences here. Definitely keep checking in the morning - that seems to be when most people see their deposits appear. Hope your benefits come through quickly!
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Zara Malik
This thread is incredibly helpful for anyone dealing with CalWORKs restoration delays! I went through something similar about 6 months ago and the waiting period was absolutely brutal - especially when you're counting on that money for essential expenses like rent. What I learned from my experience is that even when supervisors give you specific timeframes, the backend processing systems often have their own schedule. In my case, I was told "by end of business today" and it actually showed up 2 days later at around 3am. The overnight batch processing seems to be when most deposits actually hit accounts. One thing that helped me was setting up account alerts so I'd get a text notification as soon as any deposit posted - saved me from obsessively checking my balance every hour. It's also worth noting that if you're ever in this situation again and facing immediate housing issues, most counties have emergency assistance programs that can help with one-time rent payments while you're waiting for regular benefits to resume. Thanks for sharing your experience Oliver - these real-world timelines are so much more valuable than the generic "3-5 business days" responses we usually get!
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