UPDATE: I finally got through to my worker today! She confirmed everything and gave me more details. It's officially called the "CalWORKs Family Support Supplement" and it IS happening in most counties including Alameda. Payment amounts are $500 for 1-2 family members, $750 for 3-4, and $900 for 5+. They'll be sending official notices in February and payments should start going out in March. She said it's for all CalWORKs families with children and we don't need to do anything special to get it. Just make sure your case is active and address is current! Thanks everyone for the help confirming this was real. I was starting to think I'd imagined the whole conversation!

This is such great news! I'm a single mom with 3 kids in Los Angeles County and every little bit helps. I haven't heard anything from my worker yet but I'm going to call and ask about it. The timing would be perfect since I'm behind on rent and my oldest needs new shoes. Does anyone know if this will affect our regular monthly cash aid amount or if it's truly separate? I don't want to get excited if it means they'll reduce our regular benefits to make up for it. Also wondering if this will count as income for other programs like SNAP or childcare assistance?

I used that Claimyr service that someone mentioned earlier today and it actually worked! Got through to my county office in about 4 minutes after trying for days on my own. The worker I spoke with said they've been seeing a big increase in EBT theft cases lately. She put a rush on my case after I explained my situation with the rent being due. Still have to wait for the investigation but at least I feel like someone is actually working on it now.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! This is absolutely terrifying and unfortunately becoming way too common. A few additional things that might help: 1. When you go to the county office Monday, bring copies of EVERYTHING - the police report, your EBT transaction history showing the unauthorized withdrawal, and any correspondence you've had about this. 2. Ask specifically about the "replacement within 10 days" rule - California is supposed to replace stolen benefits within 10 business days if you have all the required documentation. 3. If they give you the runaround, ask to speak with the EBT coordinator or fraud specialist. Every county office should have someone designated to handle these cases. 4. Consider contacting your local legal aid organization - they often have advocates who can help navigate the system faster than going it alone. The fact that this happened two months in a row suggests your card number/PIN was compromised early on. When you get the replacement card, consider only using it at your bank's ATMs if possible - avoid gas stations, convenience stores, and standalone ATMs where skimmers are more common. Stay strong - you WILL get through this. The system is broken but the money should eventually be replaced. Document everything and don't let them dismiss your case!

Update: I just found out my neighbor's benefits were stolen too! Same day as mine. We think there might be a skimmer at the corner store where we both shop. BE CAREFUL everyone and maybe only use ATMs inside actual banks if possible.

This is so frustrating but glad you finally got resolution! I'm dealing with the exact same thing right now - someone got my card info and drained $734 from my account 5 days ago. I've been calling every day and they keep saying "we're processing your claim" but no timeline. Did you have to provide anything besides the EBT-2259 form and police report? I'm worried I'm missing some documentation that's slowing down my case. Also did they give you any kind of case number to track the progress? I feel like I'm calling into a black hole every time.

Faith, I've been following this thread and wanted to add one final piece of advice that I wish someone had told me when I first applied for CalWORKs in Riverside County. Make sure to ask your caseworker about the "Good Cause" exemptions from work requirements if you encounter any barriers. Since you already have a job, this might not apply immediately, but it's good to know that if your daughter gets sick frequently, you have transportation issues, or other legitimate barriers come up, you won't automatically lose benefits. Also, I wanted to mention that Riverside County has been pretty good about extending deadlines and being flexible during the application process, especially if you're communicating with them about any challenges you're facing. Don't be afraid to call (or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned) if you need more time to gather documents or if something comes up that prevents you from meeting a deadline. You're clearly an amazing mom who's doing everything possible to provide for your daughter. This temporary assistance is going to help you stabilize your situation so you can focus on building a better future for both of you. The fact that you researched so thoroughly before applying shows how responsible and thoughtful you are about this decision. Your daughter is going to benefit so much from having the security these programs will provide. Wishing you both all the best!

Faith, I just wanted to say how incredible it's been to watch this community come together to support you with such detailed and caring advice! As someone who's currently receiving CalWORKs benefits in Riverside County, I can confirm that all the information shared here is spot-on. I wanted to add one small but important tip - when you call for your interview (or if you use that Claimyr service), make sure you're in a quiet place where you can focus and take notes. My first interview got interrupted by background noise and I had to reschedule, which delayed everything by another week. Also, I've found the BenefitsCal mobile app really helpful for checking the status of my case and uploading documents if needed. It's much easier than trying to fax things or mail them in. You're being such a strong advocate for your family, and that preparation and research you've done here is going to make all the difference. Your daughter is so lucky to have a mom who isn't afraid to seek help when needed and who approaches challenges with such thoughtfulness. The CalWORKs program, along with CalFresh and Medi-Cal, truly can provide that safety net you need while you work on improving your situation. Wishing you the very best with your application process - please come back and update us on how it goes!

Just to clarify something important: even though the COLA is a "known" change, the different benefit systems (CalWORKs, CalFresh, SSI) don't automatically talk to each other as well as they should. The best practice is: 1. If the COLA puts you over your IRT - report immediately (required for CalWORKs) 2. If the change is more than $50/month - report for CalFresh (technically required) 3. If under both thresholds - you can wait until your next SAR7, but reporting now prevents any possible issues Report it through BenefitsCal and get a confirmation number as proof. This covers you completely.

Just wanted to add my experience - I'm a former county eligibility worker and can confirm that yes, you should report the COLA increase even though it seems redundant. The issue is that while SSI data flows into CalWIN, the actual benefit calculations for CalWORKs and CalFresh run on different schedules and sometimes don't sync up properly. What happens is SSI reports the COLA to the state, but your individual case might not get recalculated until your next review period unless YOU trigger it by reporting the change. This is especially true if your county is backlogged (which most are). The safest approach: Report any income change over $50 through BenefitsCal within 10 days. Take a screenshot of the confirmation. This way you're covered for both programs and won't get hit with an overissuance later. The system should work automatically, but it doesn't always, and the burden falls on you to prove you reported it.