CalWorks
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Will my CalFresh benefits decrease if I start receiving CalWORKs Cash Aid?
I just applied for Cash Aid through CalWORKs last week because I've been struggling with bills. I already get CalFresh (food stamps) for me and my 2 kids, about $740/month. The eligibility worker told me I qualify for around $863 in Cash Aid, but now I'm worried this will mess up my food stamps. Will my CalFresh amount go down once I start getting Cash Aid? I can't afford to lose any food money right now with how expensive groceries are getting. Has anyone added Cash Aid to their benefits without losing CalFresh?
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Cash Aid amount for 2 kids when boyfriend gets SSI - will it reduce our CalWORKs or CalFresh?
I'm applying for benefits and trying to figure out how much CalWORKs we might qualify for. I have 2 kids (ages 3 and 5) and my boyfriend lives with us. He receives SSI ($1,243/month). I don't have any income right now. I heard that SSI recipients are excluded from the CalWORKs household, but does his income still count against us? Also confused about if we'll get less Cash Aid or reduced CalFresh because he gets SSI? The eligibility worker I talked to wasn't clear about this. Has anyone been in this situation? Really need to know what to expect for budgeting next month.
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wait i thought if someone in the house gets ssi nobody can get snap?? when did that change?
That changed in June 2019! Before then, SSI recipients in California couldn't get CalFresh, and households with SSI members had the SSI income excluded from CalFresh calculations as a trade-off. But now SSI recipients CAN get CalFresh, and their income IS counted for household CalFresh calculations. It was a major policy change called 'SSI Cash-Out Reversal.' Most households ended up better off with the change, especially single SSI recipients who previously got no food assistance.
Just want to add - when you apply, make sure you bring documentation of your boyfriend's SSI award letter. Even though he's excluded from your CalWORKs case, they'll still need to verify his SSI status to process your application correctly. Also, if you're having trouble getting through to your county office by phone, try going in person early in the morning or checking if they have online appointment scheduling. Some counties let you upload documents online too which can speed things up. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me from application to first payment, so hang in there!
CalWORKs diaper allowance payment schedule - when do they hit accounts?
I've been receiving the diaper allowance for my 2-year-old for about 6 months now, but I can never remember when it's supposed to deposit. Last month it came around the 15th but this month nothing yet and it's already the 19th. Does anyone know if there's a set schedule for when the CalWORKs diaper allowance hits your account? Or does it vary by county? I'm in LA County if that matters. Really counting on it for this month's diaper supply 😥
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UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! There was a glitch in their system that affected a bunch of people who get the diaper allowance. The worker said they're fixing it and I should see the payment in 3-5 business days. She also said they're supposed to come with the regular Cash Aid payment on the 1st, but sometimes it processes separately. Thanks everyone for your help!
Glad you got an answer! Just as an FYI for the future, if your diaper allowance is ever delayed by more than 15 days, you can request a supplemental payment due to administrative error. They should issue it within 3 business days since it's considered an immediate need for a child.
wait theres a diaper allowance with calworks?? ive been on cash aid for 4 months with my 1 yr old and nobody told me about this! how much is it and how do u apply?
Yes! CalWORKs provides a $30 monthly diaper benefit for each child under age 3 who is part of your assistance unit. You don't need to apply separately - it should be automatic if you reported your child's correct age when you applied. Call your worker and let them know you haven't been receiving it. They might need to update your case, and they can likely issue retroactive payments for the months you've missed.
@Giovanni Moretti is absolutely right! You should definitely be getting that $30/month. I had the same thing happen - was on CalWORKs for months before I found out about the diaper allowance. When I called my worker, turns out they had my daughter s'age wrong in the system. Once they fixed it, I got all the back payments I was owed. Don t'let them tell you it s'too "late -" you re'entitled to those retroactive payments if they made an error!
Do I need to include rent receipts with my SAR7 for CalWORKs or just income verification?
Hey everyone, I'm filling out my first SAR7 for CalWORKs and I'm totally confused about what verification documents I need to attach. Do I need to send in my rent receipts with the form or just proof of income? My landlord gives me handwritten receipts anyway, not sure if those even count? My worker talked super fast during orientation and I'm afraid of doing something wrong and losing my benefits. Also, if anyone knows, do I report my side gig babysitting money? It's just cash, like $80-120 a week depending. Thanks in advance!
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Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to include my income verification, make a written statement for my babysitting money, and include my rent receipt since it changed. I'll make copies of everything before submitting. Fingers crossed I don't mess this up!
You've got this! And remember - if you submit through BenefitsCal, you can take pictures of your documents with your phone and upload them. Much easier than mailing or dropping off documents.
Just want to add one more tip that helped me when I was starting out - if you're ever unsure about anything on the SAR7, write "See attached explanation" in the margin and include a separate sheet explaining your situation. I did this when I had irregular income from gig work and it really helped my worker understand what was going on. Also, if you submit online through BenefitsCal, you'll get a confirmation number - screenshot that and keep it! It's your proof that you submitted on time if there are any issues later. Good luck with your first SAR7!
Can I get proof of CalWORKs online or must I visit the county office in person?
I need to get proof that I'm receiving CalWORKs for my kid's after-school program but I'm working double shifts this week and can't make it to the county office during business hours. Does anyone know if there's a way to get verification of benefits online through BenefitsCal or something? Or do I absolutely have to go in person to get an official letter? My kid's program needs it by next Friday and I'm stressing out about how to get this done. Thanks in advance for any help! ❤️
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UPDATE: I was able to get the verification through BenefitsCal! For anyone else who might need this, here's what I did: 1. Logged into BenefitsCal 2. Went to "My Benefits" section 3. Found "Proof of Benefits" on the sidebar 4. Selected CalWORKs (they had options for different benefits) 5. Downloaded the PDF and printed it It has all the info my kid's program needed - household members, benefit amount, and it's on official letterhead. Thanks everyone for your help! 💕
So glad it worked out for you! Thanks for posting the exact steps - that will definitely help others looking for the same information.
nice!! wish my county had this online. still gotta go in person here in alameda 😩
@Kendrick Webb So happy you were able to get it sorted! This is such valuable info for other parents in similar situations. I've been in this exact spot before - needing official documentation on a tight timeline while juggling work schedules. It's really stressful! One thing I'd add for anyone else reading this thread: if you run into issues with BenefitsCal being slow or glitchy (which does happen sometimes), try logging in during off-peak hours like early morning or late evening. I've found the system runs much smoother when fewer people are using it. Also keep your case number handy when you log in - sometimes it speeds up the process. Thanks for taking the time to post the step-by-step instructions. That kind of detailed help is exactly what this community needs! 🙏
Sergio Neal
I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Yes, your CalFresh will decrease, but don't panic - you'll still come out ahead financially. In my case, my CalFresh went from around $700 to about $450, but I was getting $800+ in Cash Aid, so overall I had way more to work with each month. One thing that really helped me was calling my eligibility worker before the Cash Aid kicked in to ask for the exact numbers so I could plan my first month's grocery shopping. That way I wasn't caught off guard at the checkout line. Also, if you have any WIC benefits, those won't be affected at all by the Cash Aid. The transition period can feel scary, but once you adjust your budgeting it actually makes things easier having both types of assistance. Good luck with everything!
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Savanna Franklin
I'm in a similar situation right now - just got approved for CalWORKs last week and have been stressing about this exact thing! Reading everyone's responses here is so helpful. It sounds like even though the CalFresh will go down, we'll still be better off overall with the Cash Aid. I'm definitely going to try calling my worker to get the specific numbers like some of you suggested. Has anyone had luck getting through to the county office lately? I keep getting busy signals when I call. Also wondering - do they usually give you advance notice before they change your CalFresh amount, or does it just happen automatically once the Cash Aid starts?
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Tyler Murphy
Hey! I'm new here but going through the same thing right now. From what I've been reading in this thread, it sounds like they're supposed to send you a Notice of Action before making changes to your CalFresh, but some people are saying it doesn't always arrive on time. That's scary! For calling the county office - I saw someone earlier mention using Claimyr to get through faster? Might be worth trying that since so many of us are having trouble with busy signals. I'm definitely going to call tomorrow to try to get my exact numbers too. This whole process is so stressful but at least we're all figuring it out together!
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