Can I apply for CalFresh for my child only without including my income?

No, this is actually a common misunderstanding about CalFresh eligibility rules. When your children live with you and you provide for them, you're considered part of the same "household unit" for CalFresh purposes. You can't apply for just the children if you all live together and you purchase/prepare food together. The entire household's income has to be reported, including parents' income. The only exception would be if your child lived separately with another relative (like a grandparent) who had custody. Then that household could apply without your income being counted.

you can totaly apply 4 just ur kids my sister does it!!!! they dont count her income at all and gets like $800 for her 2 kids. u just gotta tell them ur kids buy and cook separately from u. they approved her no problems!!

I tried to do EXACTLY this last year and got denied. The worker told me that since my kids are minors and I'm responsible for them, we count as one household unit for CalFresh purposes. She said I'd need to include everyone who lives in my home and all income. BUT!!! Your kids might still qualify for free school meals regardless of your income because of the Community Eligibility Provision at many schools. Have you checked with your school district? That saved us a ton on food costs even though we didn't qualify for CalFresh.

Maybe try Claimyr if you're still trying to reach someone at the county office? I had the SAME PROBLEM trying to get answers about my CalFresh application - kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. My friend told me about this service called Claimyr that gets you through to an actual person at the benefits office without waiting on hold for hours. I tried it at claimyr.com and it worked - they called the office for me and then connected me once an actual person picked up. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Even if you can't apply for just your kids, you might still qualify for some amount of CalFresh depending on your income and expenses. Definitely worth talking to a worker directly to see what options you have.

I work as an eligibility specialist, and I can confirm what others have said. If you live with your children and provide meals for them, you must apply as one household unit. However, many families don't realize that CalFresh has higher income limits than CalWORKs, and there are several deductions that can help you qualify: 1. Housing costs over 50% of your income get an extra deduction 2. Childcare expenses while you work can be deducted 3. Medical expenses for elderly or disabled household members 4. Child support payments you're legally obligated to pay Apply anyway - many working families qualify for at least some benefits. The online calculator on the BenefitsCal website can give you an estimate before you apply.

Ugh the system is soooo frustrating!!!! Why should kids go hungry just because parents make a little too much?? I'm in the same boat - we make "too much" on paper but after rent, utilities, gas and car payment we barely have anything left for food. It's ridiculous that they count gross income instead of what we actually have to spend after taxes and bills!!!

One more thing to consider - if your children receive child support from a non-custodial parent, they COULD potentially qualify as a separate household from you in very specific circumstances. But this is rare and only applies in certain situations where the child support is their only source of income and they truly purchase and prepare food separately (usually only applies to older teens). Also, don't forget to look into WIC if you have children under 5. The income limits are higher than CalFresh, and it provides healthy foods specifically for young children, pregnant and breastfeeding women.

I'm in a similar situation and went through this whole process last year. After reading through all the responses here, I wanted to add that even though you can't separate your kids from your household, you should definitely still apply! I was surprised to learn that CalFresh considers things like high housing costs (which it sounds like you have if you're paying 60% on rent). Also, if you have any work-related childcare expenses, those get deducted from your income too. One tip that helped me - when you fill out the application, make sure to list ALL your actual expenses. A lot of people forget things like school supplies, medical copays, or even the gas money for getting to work. Every legitimate expense can potentially help lower your "countable income" for eligibility purposes. Good luck with your application! Even if you only qualify for a small amount, every bit helps with the grocery budget.