I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! I went through benefit theft about 8 months ago when someone got my card info at a sketchy ATM. The whole process is nerve-wracking, especially when you have bills due. From my experience, here's what you can expect: - CalWORKs cash benefits usually come back in 7-14 business days if your case is straightforward - CalFresh takes longer - typically 3-4 weeks - The "immediate need" payment you got is a lifesaver while waiting One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every interaction with the county office - dates, times, who I spoke with, and what they said. It made follow-up calls much easier and showed I was serious about tracking my case. Also, when you do get your benefits back, consider using your CalWORKs cash at ATMs inside banks rather than standalone ATMs - they're generally safer from skimmers. And definitely change your PIN to something completely different from what you had before. The waiting is the hardest part, but legitimate theft cases like yours do get resolved. Stay persistent but patient with the workers - they're processing a lot of these cases lately unfortunately.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Benefit theft is becoming way too common and it's terrifying how vulnerable our accounts are. I actually work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate these situations, and here are a few things that might help: 1. If you haven't already, ask your worker for a "case tracking number" specifically for the theft investigation - this makes follow-ups much easier 2. Request email updates if possible - sometimes workers are better at sending quick status emails than answering phones 3. Keep calling every 3-4 days to check status - the squeaky wheel really does get the grease in these situations For immediate help while waiting, try: - 211 for local emergency assistance (as others mentioned) - Contact your local Community Action Agency - they often have emergency funds for situations exactly like this - If you're religious or open to it, many churches help with groceries/bills regardless of membership Also, I know this is frustrating to hear when you're already stressed, but make sure to check your credit reports too. Sometimes card skimmers get enough info to attempt other types of fraud. You can get free reports at annualcreditreport.com. Hang in there - the system is slow but you WILL get your money back. Most people I've worked with see their cash aid returned within 10-15 business days.

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone today! Turns out when I reapplied, they created a duplicate case in the system which was causing the delay. The worker I spoke with said she'll fix it and my benefits should be processed within 48 hours. I also asked about Immediate Need and they're processing that for me today - should get $200 emergency funds by tomorrow! Thank you all for your help and suggestions. This has been so stressful but I feel relieved now that I know what was happening.

That's such great news! I'm so relieved you finally got through and figured out what was causing the delay. A duplicate case - that's exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes technical issue that we would never know about without speaking to someone directly. The Immediate Need funds are a lifesaver too. I've been in similar situations where every day without benefits feels like forever when you're trying to feed your family and keep up with bills. Thanks for updating us with what worked! Your experience will definitely help other members who run into similar problems. It's a good reminder that sometimes the "pending" status doesn't tell the whole story and you really do need to keep pushing to get answers from a real person.

I'm new to this community and wanted to add my experience! I was in a very similar situation about 6 months ago - needed about $900 for car repairs and was terrified of losing my CalWORKs benefits if I tried to earn extra money. I ended up calling 211 first (like so many people here recommended), and they were amazing! They connected me with three different local organizations. One was a church-based program that covered $400, another was a community nonprofit that helped with $300, and I was able to scrape together the rest from family. The whole process took about 2 weeks, but it was SO much better than dealing with income reporting stress or the physical toll of plasma donation. Plus I learned about all these resources I never knew existed - now I have a whole list saved for future emergencies. @PrinceJoe - definitely start with 211 on Monday morning! When you call, mention that the car is needed for your husband's work and emphasize the employment connection. That seemed to help prioritize my case. Also ask specifically about "transportation assistance" or "emergency car repair" programs. Some organizations have funding specifically set aside for work-related transportation needs. Good luck! This community has been so helpful in sharing all these resources - I had no idea so many assistance programs were available until I read through everyone's responses here.

As someone who's been navigating CalWORKs for about a year now, I wanted to share what I learned from a similar situation. I was considering doing DoorDash to help with some unexpected expenses, and I was so confused about the income reporting rules. What really helped me was actually getting through to my worker (I know, I know - easier said than done!) and asking directly about the earned income disregard. She walked me through the calculation just like @Connor Rupert did here, and it made me realize that sometimes earning extra money can actually leave you better off overall, even if your cash aid gets reduced a little. But honestly, after reading about everyone's success with 211 and emergency assistance programs, I think those are definitely your best bet! The fact that @Harper Collins got help from multiple organizations totaling $700 is amazing. And @Isabella Silva's sister getting $800 for transmission work shows these programs really do help with exactly your type of situation. One tip I learned - if you do call 211, ask them to email you a list of the organizations they recommend. That way you can follow up with multiple places and increase your chances of getting help. Some organizations might be out of funding but others might have money available. Really hoping the emergency assistance route works out for you! Car troubles are stressful enough without having to worry about benefit complications on top of it.

Just noticed you mentioned you're a new applicant - did you complete your WTW (Welfare to Work) appointment yet? Sometimes they hold the first cash payment until after you've done that initial WTW orientation meeting. Might be worth checking if that's what's delaying things.

Hey @Zara Rashid! I was in a similar situation about 6 months ago - single mom, just approved, super stressed about when the cash would hit. Here's what I learned: for new cases, they sometimes take 3-5 business days from approval to load your first cash payment, regardless of the normal schedule. Since you were approved "last week" and got your card yesterday, I'd expect it to show up within the next day or two. One thing that helped me was checking my balance multiple times throughout the day - sometimes the money loads overnight or early morning. Also, if you have your approval paperwork, look for any mention of "first payment date" - mine was buried in the small print but it was there. If nothing shows up by Thursday and you're really stressed about rent, definitely contact your worker about emergency assistance options. Good luck!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My CalWORKs cash aid shows up when I check my balance, but every ATM I try gives me a "transaction declined" message. It's so stressful when you need the money for bills and can't access it. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful though - I had no idea about the cash back option at stores. I'm going to try that tomorrow at my local grocery store. Also going to look into that Claimyr service to try to reach my caseworker faster. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this and that there are workarounds while we get it sorted out with the county!

Hey is anyone still having trouble withdrawing cash from the ATMs or is it just me only?