I just talked to my sister again (the one who works for CalWORKs) and she said to make sure you document EVERYTHING from this point forward. Save all receipts for expenses you have to make while waiting for your replacement benefits. If you have to borrow money from someone to cover other bills, keep records of that too. Apparently, in some cases, they can provide additional assistance beyond just replacing what was stolen if you can show financial hardship caused by the delay. Not guaranteed, but worth asking about when you follow up.

So glad you got the emergency housing assistance! That's a huge relief. Just wanted to add - while you're waiting for the theft investigation, make sure to check if your county has a "Good Samaritan" emergency food program. Many counties have small emergency food vouchers (usually $50-100) specifically for situations like this where benefits were stolen. It's separate from regular CalFresh and doesn't affect your other benefits. You can ask about it when you call to follow up on your theft claim. Also, some food banks have special emergency boxes for families dealing with benefit theft - they understand this is becoming such a common problem. Stay strong, you handled this exactly right!

when I was on calworks they told me differnt counties have differnt hours. i think its dumb they can just decide when to stop answering calls. i remember in LA county they stopped taking calls at 4 but in san bernardino they were open till 5. My cousin in alameda county said there open till 5:30 there!!!! makes no sense why every county is different when its all the same calworks program!!!!

Call hour the same 8 to 5 but they stop putting ppl in line early. my worker told me they all do this. riverside extra bad tho, my friend had to physically go into the office to resolve her case they NEVER anwsered phones.

Update: I was finally able to reach my worker! Turns out they just needed to verify a deposit in my account from my mom (birthday gift money for my daughter) and make sure I still meet the resource limit. The worker was actually super nice and it took like 5 minutes to clear up. Thanks everyone for the advice and calming me down! My benefits are safe.

So glad everything worked out for you! This is exactly why I tell everyone not to panic when they get these calls. The county workers really do need better training on how to leave voicemails - saying "need to review transactions ASAP" sounds so ominous when it's usually something simple like verifying a gift deposit. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - it'll help other people who find this thread when they're going through the same thing!

I just wanted to check back - were you able to reach your worker and find out what happened with your benefits?

So glad you got it sorted out! System glitches are way too common with CalWORKs - happened to me twice last year. At least they're giving you the $25 supplement, that's something new they started doing when it's their fault. For anyone else reading this who has similar issues in the future, definitely keep calling until you get through because sometimes it really is just a technical problem on their end that gets fixed quickly once they know about it.

just wanna say im so sorry ur going thru this. the system is BROKEN. i had to apply 3 times before they even processed my application right. hang in there and be persistent!!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! Based on what everyone is saying about the BenefitsCal glitch, you might want to also contact your local Legal Aid office if you have one. They often have advocates who specialize in CalWORKs cases and can help you navigate the state hearing process for free. In the meantime, if you're struggling to feed your kids while waiting for this to get resolved, check if your area has emergency food assistance programs through 211 (dial 2-1-1). Many food banks don't require proof of income and can help immediately. Also ask about emergency utility assistance if you're behind on bills because of this. Document EVERYTHING - write down the date, time, and name of every person you speak with, plus what they promised to do. This creates a paper trail that will help during your hearing. You shouldn't have to go through this when you did everything right!