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.

I went through this exact same confusion when I first heard about it from another parent! What I learned is that while you can't apply for just your kids if you all live together, there are some situations where it might still be worth applying even if you think you make too much. The income limits for CalFresh are actually higher than many people think, especially for larger households. For a family of 5 (you, your husband, and 3 kids), the gross monthly income limit is around $4,800 as of 2024. Plus, they don't just look at your gross income - they subtract things like your housing costs if they're more than half your income, childcare expenses, and some other deductions. I'd recommend using the pre-screening tool on the GetCalFresh website or BenefitsCal to get a better idea of whether you might qualify. Even if you only get a small amount, it could still help with those grocery bills. And like others mentioned, definitely look into local food banks and pantries in the meantime - many don't have income requirements and can really help stretch your food budget.

I'm a case worker and wanted to add some clarification to what's already been shared here. You're absolutely right that you cannot apply for CalFresh for just your children if you all live together and you provide their meals - this would be considered fraud if misrepresented. However, I encourage you to still apply for your full household! Many working families are surprised to learn they qualify. For a household of 5, the gross income limit is $4,810/month (as of 2024), but more importantly, CalFresh uses your NET income after deductions. With rent at 60% of your income, you'd get a significant shelter deduction. Also consider applying for emergency CalFresh if you're in immediate need - this can provide benefits within 3 days if you qualify. The application asks about your monthly expenses, so gather documentation for rent, utilities, childcare, and medical expenses before applying. One last tip: if your county office is hard to reach by phone, many counties now accept applications online through BenefitsCal, and you can often get faster responses through their online messaging system once you have an account.

I just wanted to echo what the case worker and others have said - definitely still apply even though you can't separate your kids! I was in almost the exact same situation last year with 3 kids and thought we made too much. What really helped us was keeping track of ALL our monthly expenses for a few weeks before applying. Things I didn't think to include at first: after-school care costs, gas for driving to work, medical copays, even the monthly cost of school lunches (before we qualified for free ones). Every legitimate expense helps reduce your countable income. We ended up qualifying for $200/month which doesn't sound like much but it's been a huge help with our grocery budget, especially for buying healthy foods for the kids. The application through BenefitsCal was way easier than trying to call - took about 30 minutes and I got a response within a week. Don't let that other mom's misinformation discourage you from applying the right way. There's real help available for working families, you just have to go through the proper channels. Good luck!