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Im in the same boat, that $95 is my utilitys every month. im so scared about what happens. does anyone know if we can appeal this or something?? its not fair they just stop it when everythings so expensive now!!
Unfortunately, this isn't something you can appeal. The emergency allotments were always temporary and tied to the public health emergency. I know it's really tough timing with inflation. If you haven't had a mid-year adjustment to your regular CalWORKs grant based on income changes, you might want to report any decreased income or increased expenses (like rent) to see if your regular benefit amount could increase.
One thing to know - you should see an increase in your regular CalWORKs grant starting January 2025 due to the annual cost of living adjustment. It's not going to make up for the whole $95, but it should help a little bit. My worker told me the standard 2025 COLA should be around 3.7% which isn't huge but it's something at least.
That's good to know about the COLA increase. Every little bit helps I guess. I'm still going to have to figure out how to make up that $95 gap in my budget though.
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Just to clarify something important - CalWORKs and CalFresh (food stamps) have different processing timeframes. CalFresh has to be processed within 30 days, but can be expedited in 3 days if you qualify. CalWORKs technically has a 45-day processing timeframe, though many counties try to do it in 30. Make sure your cousin applied for both programs! And yes, benefit start date is the application date, not the interview date, as long as she meets all the eligibility requirements on that date.
Oh! I didn't realize they had different timeframes. She did apply for both, thankfully. The CalFresh would help a lot with food so they can put more money toward rent.
december and january are ALWAYS backed up with appointments. the holidays mess everything up. plus lots of workers take vacation time so there's even fewer people answering phones. ur cousin should definitely try calling but also prepare for the possibility that jan 2 might be the earliest they can do
This is very true. End of December/beginning of January is probably the worst time of year to apply for benefits because of the reduced staffing and holiday office closures. OP, make sure your cousin doesn't miss that Jan 2 appointment even if she can't get an earlier one - they might make her start the whole application process over if she misses it.
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That's definitely a deduction they should have applied! The childcare expenses alone could make a significant difference in your benefit calculation. When you get through to them, make sure to tell them about those expenses. And definitely ask about enrolling in the Stage 1 Childcare program - they should pay your childcare costs directly while you're working, which would save you that $350/week!
Yes! And once you're in Stage 1 childcare, you'll eventually transition to Stage 2 and can keep the childcare assistance even if your income increases and you no longer qualify for Cash Aid. It's a huge benefit!
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the county office! You all were right - I qualify for CalWORKs childcare assistance even with the tiny cash grant. The worker is sending me the forms today. This will save us around $1,500 a month in childcare costs! They're also reassessing my Cash Aid amount since they didn't factor in my childcare expenses. Thank you all so much for your help and advice!!
This is great news! So glad you were able to get through and get some real assistance. The childcare benefit is truly one of the most valuable parts of the CalWORKs program. Make sure to ask about summer coverage too if your kids need care during school breaks.
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THEY ALWAYS DO THIS!!!! The system is designed to make things as difficult as possible. They approve you but then make it impossible to get your benefits. I had a similar issue last year and ended up having to make FOUR trips to the county office before I finally got my card. Each time they told me something different. Make sure you bring EVERY document you can think of - ID, social security cards, birth certificates, approval letters, everything. Otherwise they'll just send you home to get whatever document they suddenly decide they need.
I understand your frustration, but in most counties, you only need your photo ID to pick up an EBT card at the office if you're already approved. They should be able to look up your case in their system. Bringing your approval notice can help, but they shouldn't need birth certificates or social security cards just to issue a card for an already-approved case.
Maybe in YOUR county! In Riverside they made me bring everything plus proof of address. Then they said my lease wasn't good enough and I needed a utility bill too. Everyone's experience is different and better to be over-prepared than waste a trip!
UPDATE: We went to the county office this morning and got our EBT card! You all were right - there was an issue with our address in the system. They had our old apartment number even though we submitted the correct address on our application. The case worker was able to issue us a card on the spot and the benefits were already loaded on it. They also confirmed we'll be getting retroactive payments from our application date, which is a huge relief. Thanks everyone for your help!
Thanks for the reminder about the SAR7! The worker mentioned that but there's been so much information to take in. Is there a way to submit that online through BenefitsCal or do we have to mail it in?
Yes, you can submit the SAR7 through BenefitsCal now! It's much easier than mailing it. You can upload any required verification documents right there too. I always take screenshots of my confirmation page as proof that I submitted it, just in case.
Owen Devar
Can I ask how you got your benefits stolen? I'm terrified of this happening to me. Did you report it to the police too or just to the county? I keep hearing about people getting their EBT cards skimmed.
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Miles Hammonds
•I'm pretty sure it happened at this small market I went to. The cashier took my card to the back to run it because their machine was "broken" - I should've known better! I filed a police report and they said there's been several cases at that same store. Now I'm super careful about where I use my card.
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Ruby Blake
•omg thats scary!! i never let anyone take my card outta my sight now. i even cover the keypad when i type my pin bc ive heard they can have cameras watching
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PrinceJoe
Update us after you go to the office! I'm curious if they give you a check or actual cash. When I had to get an emergency payment once, they actually gave me a cash voucher that I had to take to the cashier window. The whole process was confusing.
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Miles Hammonds
•I went to the office this morning! You were right about the lines - it was packed. After 2.5 hours, I finally talked to someone who gave me a paper check! I was able to cash it at my bank right after. Thanks everyone for the help!
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Micah Franklin
•Glad you got it resolved! Just a tip for the future - if this ever happens again, ask them to put a note in your case file that you prefer EBT replacement rather than check replacement if possible. It's usually faster since you don't have to physically go pick anything up.
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