Can I switch from CalFresh to CalWORKs Cash Aid? What's the difference?

CalFresh and CalWORKs Cash Aid are two completely different programs - they're not interchangeable, but you can actually get BOTH at the same time if you qualify! CalFresh (food stamps) is just for buying food. CalWORKs provides actual cash money for things like rent, bills, clothes, etc. CalWORKs has stricter eligibility requirements though - you need to have children and very limited income. You'll also need to participate in Welfare to Work activities in most cases. You'll need to submit a separate application for CalWORKs, but you can do it through BenefitsCal.com using the same account you used for CalFresh. Make sure you have your kids' info, any income documentation, and housing costs ready when you apply.

YEs you can definitely get both!!! i been on both programs 4 years. But cash aid has WAY MORE requirements. You gotta do all the welfare to work stuff like training or work hours,plus EVERY SINGLE CHANGE in your life you gotta report it or they'll say you committed fraud!! also they take forever to process cash aid apps, like 30 days sometimes and they'll ask for a million verifications. Just be ready for them to ask for bank statements, birth certificates, rent receipts, EVERYTHING. sometimes i think its not worth the hassle but when rent is due im always grateful 4 that money!!

they are too separate programs my friend. calfresh=food only. cash aid=money. u need kids for cash aid and very little money coming in. u can have both tho

One important thing no one mentioned: with CalWORKs Cash Aid, you'll have a 48-month LIFETIME limit. That means once you use up 48 months, you can never get it again (with some exceptions). Also, if you're working, they'll count your income and reduce your grant, but you get to keep the first $225 plus 50% of the rest without it affecting your grant. And yes, you'll need to do Welfare to Work activities for 20-30 hours per week depending on your youngest child's age, but your current part-time job at Walmart will count toward those hours. If you're not meeting the required hours with your job, they'll have you do additional activities to make up the difference. You'll also need to cooperate with child support if the children's other parent isn't in the home (unless you have good cause not to).

I tried calling my county worker for DAYS about changing my benefits and could never get through - kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for 2+ hours! I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to a real person at the CalWORKs office in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works too: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Saved me so much stress when I was trying to add my newborn to my case and apply for the diaper stipend. Might help when you're trying to apply for Cash Aid too since the phone lines are always jammed.

one thing NO ONE told me when I first applied is that u can get more CalWORKs money if ur homeless or about to be homeless!! its called Homeless Assistance and they can give u money for security deposit and rent if ur getting evicted or temporary shelter costs. wish someone told me that before I lost my apartment last year

Since you're working part-time at Walmart, make sure you also apply for CalWORKs childcare assistance. It's one of the most valuable benefits - they'll pay for childcare while you're working and even during approved study time if you decide to go back to school. You can choose a licensed provider or even have a trusted family member or friend get paid to watch your kids (they just have to get approved as a license-exempt provider). For a family of 3 (you and 2 kids), the maximum CalWORKs grant is currently $1,060 per month, but that would be reduced based on your Walmart income after the income disregards. Even with the reduction, though, the combined benefits from CalFresh and CalWORKs plus the childcare assistance can make a huge difference.

To answer your original question - no, they won't just "switch" you because they're separate programs with different funding and requirements. But the good news is that when you apply for CalWORKs, they'll automatically check if you're still eligible for CalFresh too and continue those benefits. One more thing: When you get Cash Aid, you'll need to complete a SAR7 report every 6 months and an annual recertification. Make sure you NEVER miss these deadlines or your benefits will stop. The SAR7 is due by the 5th of your reporting month.

Just wanted to add - when you apply for CalWORKs, make sure you ask about the Young Child Exemption if either of your kids is under 24 months old. This exempts you from some of the work requirements and doesn't count toward your 48-month time limit. A lot of workers don't automatically mention this but it can be really helpful for new parents. Also, since you're already working part-time, you might qualify for transitional benefits if your income goes up later - they'll give you up to 12 months of continued CalWORKs and Medi-Cal even if you start earning slightly more. This helps avoid the "benefits cliff" where people lose everything when they get more work hours. Good luck with your application! The process can feel overwhelming but it's definitely worth it when you need the extra support.

Hey Aurora! Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this process recently. You're getting great advice here! One thing I'd add is that when you submit your CalWORKs application, they'll schedule an eligibility interview (usually within 7-10 days). This can be done over the phone now which is super convenient with kids. During the interview, they'll go over all your documents and explain the Welfare to Work requirements. Since you're already working at Walmart, that's a huge plus - your current job will count toward your required activity hours. They might just ask you to increase your hours slightly or add some job search activities if needed. Also, don't stress too much about all the paperwork everyone mentioned. Yes, there's more than CalFresh, but the workers are generally pretty good at telling you exactly what they need. Just make sure you turn everything in on time - they're strict about deadlines but reasonable if you communicate with them. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me from application to first payment. Hang in there, the extra support will definitely help with your tight budget!

I went through this exact same situation last year! Like everyone said, you can definitely have both CalFresh and CalWORKs Cash Aid - they complement each other really well. Since you're already working part-time, you're actually in a good position for CalWORKs approval. The key things that helped me get approved quickly were having all my documents ready: pay stubs from the last month, rent receipts or lease agreement, birth certificates for the kids, and your Social Security cards. One tip - when you do your eligibility interview, ask specifically about the Earned Income Disregard. With your Walmart job, they'll let you keep the first $225 of your monthly earnings plus 50% of anything above that without it reducing your grant dollar-for-dollar. So working actually helps you get more total money than if you weren't working at all. Also, if money is really tight right now, ask about expedited processing. Sometimes they can rush the application if you're facing eviction or have less than $100 in resources. Worth asking about! The whole process took about 25 days for me from application to first payment, but the peace of mind was worth it. Having that cash assistance made all the difference when unexpected expenses came up with the kids.

One more thing that might help - if you're approved for CalWORKs, you'll also automatically qualify for the Lifeline phone program (free cell phone service) and utility assistance programs like LIHEAP for help with electricity and gas bills. These aren't always mentioned but can save you $100+ per month on basic necessities. Also, since you have kids under 5, make sure to ask about WIC if you're not already getting it. WIC works alongside CalFresh and provides specific foods for young children like milk, eggs, cereal, and baby formula if needed. You can get WIC even while receiving CalFresh and CalWORKs. The application process might seem overwhelming with all these different programs, but think of it as building a safety net. Each program covers different needs - CalFresh for food, CalWORKs for cash and childcare, WIC for specific nutrition needs, and utility assistance for bills. Together they can really help stabilize your family's situation while you work on increasing your hours or finding better employment opportunities. Good luck with your application! Don't hesitate to ask your eligibility worker about ALL available programs during your interview.

Just wanted to add something that might help with your timeline - since you're already in the system with CalFresh, your CalWORKs application should process a bit faster because they already have some of your basic info on file. When I applied for Cash Aid after already having food stamps, my worker told me it saved about a week in processing time. Also, make sure you keep going to work at Walmart during the application process! Sometimes people think they need to quit their job to qualify, but that's totally wrong. Your employment actually strengthens your application because it shows you're already meeting work requirements. Plus once you're approved, those Walmart hours will count toward your Welfare to Work participation, so you might not need to do additional job search activities. One last tip - if your eligibility worker seems rushed or doesn't explain things clearly, don't be afraid to ask for a different worker or request a supervisor. You have the right to understand exactly what you're signing up for. I had to switch workers once and it made a huge difference in getting proper explanations of all the rules and benefits. You're being really smart by asking all these questions upfront instead of just signing papers without understanding. Your kids are lucky to have a mom who's working hard to figure out all the available support!

Good luck with your application Aurora! You've gotten amazing advice from everyone here. Just wanted to add one quick thing - when you do submit your CalWORKs application through BenefitsCal, make sure to print out or screenshot the confirmation page with your application number. Sometimes the system glitches and having that reference number can save you from having to resubmit if something gets lost. Also, since you mentioned money is really tight this month, don't forget to mention any emergency situations during your eligibility interview. If you're behind on rent or utilities, they might be able to help with immediate assistance even before your regular cash aid starts. Some counties have emergency aid programs that can provide same-day help for families with young children facing eviction or utility shutoffs. You're doing a great job advocating for your family and asking all the right questions. The system can be confusing but you've got this! Keep us posted on how it goes - your experience might help other parents in similar situations.

Just wanted to add one more resource that helped me a lot when I was going through the CalWORKs application process - your local Family Resource Center! Most counties have them and they offer free help with filling out applications, understanding all the requirements, and even childcare during appointments. I was a single mom working part-time at Target when I applied, and the advocate at my FRC literally sat with me while I filled out the online application and helped me gather all the documents. She also knew which eligibility workers were more patient and helpful, which made a huge difference. You can usually find your local FRC by googling "[your county] Family Resource Center" or asking your CalFresh worker for a referral. Some even have emergency food pantries and free diapers while you're waiting for your benefits to get approved. Also, since you mentioned your kids are young, don't forget to ask about the CalWORKs diaper allowance! It's not much (around $30/month I think) but every little bit helps when you're stretching every dollar. You're asking all the right questions and being such a good advocate for your family. The system is complicated but you're going to figure it out!

Aurora, you've gotten incredible advice here! As someone who's been through this whole process, I just want to emphasize that you're doing everything right by asking questions and gathering information first. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you get approved for CalWORKs, they'll issue you an EBT card that works for both your CalFresh benefits AND your cash aid. The cash portion can be withdrawn from ATMs or used like a debit card at most stores. Just be careful about ATM fees - try to use ones at banks or credit unions that don't charge fees to avoid eating into your benefits. Also, since you're working at Walmart, you might want to ask your HR department about their employee assistance programs. Some big employers have partnerships with local agencies that can help you navigate benefits applications or provide additional emergency assistance. It's worth checking! Keep all your documents organized in one folder - you'll need them for your initial application, the interview, and then ongoing reporting requirements. Having everything in one place will save you so much stress down the road. You've got this mama! Your kids are lucky to have someone who's working so hard to make sure they have what they need. The system is complicated but you're clearly smart and determined enough to figure it out.