How much CalWORKs Cash Aid and CalFresh will my family of 5 get with zero income?

For CalWORKs Cash Aid, a family of 5 with zero income should get around $1,275 monthly in 2025 (this amount changes yearly with cost of living adjustments). For CalFresh, you're looking at approximately $1,159 per month maximum for a household of 5 with no income. Keep in mind that the Cash Aid amount can vary slightly depending on your county. Also, you'll need to meet all other eligibility requirements - provide ID for everyone, proof of residency, citizenship/immigration status, etc. The approval process is typically 30 days for CalFresh and 45 days for CalWORKs if everything goes smoothly with your application.

they give u less if u get subsidized housing btw. my sister gets cash aid and they cut her amount cuz her section 8 finally came thru. so if u got any housing assistance u might not get the full amount he said.

The amounts @helpful_person mentioned are pretty accurate, but I want to add that you should definitely mention you're facing potential homelessness when you apply. With zero income and that high rent, you might qualify for Homeless Assistance through CalWORKs, which can help with move-in costs if you need to find a cheaper place or help prevent eviction. They can provide up to $3,000 for deposits and first/last month's rent if you're eligible. Also, make sure to ask about the child support requirements. Both parents will need to cooperate with child support services unless you have good cause not to (like domestic violence).

If you're tired of calling the county office and getting disconnected, I was in your exact situation last month. I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person at the CalWORKs office in under 25 minutes after I'd been trying for DAYS. They basically wait on hold for you then call you when they get a person. Saved me so much frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE I was skeptical at first but it actually worked and I finally got my application questions answered instead of stressing about it for another week.

Just wanna add that u should ALSO apply for the California Earned Income Tax Credit when u file taxes even with no income!!! My famly got like $2,600 back this year from it and the Young Child Tax credit, it was a huge help with our bills. Anyone on CalWORKS should check it out!!

When I applied in july the worker told me the cash aid for 2 parents and 3 kids was $1,200 sumthin but then they only gave me $1,047 and when I asked why they said it was becus my husband gets $247 in disability so they subtracted that. So if u get ANY kind of income at all they take it out of the amount. They count literally everything except SSI. For calfresh (thats food stamps) we got the full amount tho.

Does anyone know if the WTW (Welfare to Work) requirements are still waived? Last time I was on CalWORKs they made me do 30 hours a week of job search activities, but I heard they changed the rules during COVID?

be careful with calworks i had it for 8 months and when i finally got a job they kept overpaying me even tho i reported my income every month like i was supposed to and now they say i owe them $2,421 AND they cut my benefits by 10% until i pay it all back its a nightmare

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I'm also a family of 5 who just went through this process. We got approved last month and are receiving $1,268 for CalWORKs cash aid and $1,159 for CalFresh with zero income. The amounts everyone mentioned are pretty spot on! A few things that helped speed up our process: 1) Apply online first at GetCalFresh.org or YourBenefitsNow.org to get in the system faster, 2) Gather ALL your documents before your interview (birth certificates, Social Security cards, proof of address, etc.), and 3) If you have kids under 5, mention it during your interview as it can help with work requirements. Also, don't forget about WIC if your kids are under 5 - that's additional food assistance specifically for young children that stacks with CalFresh. My 2-year-old gets formula, milk, eggs, and other basics through WIC which really helps stretch our food budget. The whole process took about 6 weeks from application to getting our first benefits, but we got emergency CalFresh within 3 days since we had literally $0 income. Hang in there - it's stressful but the assistance really does help while you get back on your feet!

I just wanted to add something about the application timeline that might help - when you do finally get through to someone at the county office, ask specifically about expedited processing if you're facing immediate homelessness. They can sometimes process emergency CalWORKs payments within 5-7 days if you meet certain crisis criteria. Also, since your rent is $2,300 for a 2-bedroom with 5 people, you might want to look into the CalWORKs Housing Support Program in your county. Some counties have additional rental assistance programs specifically for CalWORKs recipients that can help bridge the gap between your benefits and actual housing costs. One more tip - when you go to your interview, bring a utility shutoff notice or eviction notice if you have one. This can help establish the urgency of your situation and potentially qualify you for additional emergency assistance beyond the regular monthly amounts.