The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program is a lifeline for low-income families and individuals across the state. It helps them pay for basic needs by giving them money.
The goal of the program is to give people in California who qualify a stable source of income so they can meet their basic needs. If you live in California and are an American who is eligible for this financial aid, read on to learn more about the upcoming payments.
The people who will be eligible to receive CalWORKs checks this year
CalWORKs, which stands for California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, helps families with minor children who do not make enough money or own enough property to qualify for the state’s maximum family size benefits.
It does this by providing employment-focused services and short-term financial aid. It is now the law in California that most adults who receive help, even those who received help in other states, can only get money for five years at a time. However, qualifying children can still get help.
Customers of CalWORKs who get jobs and make more money than the amount needed to keep getting cash assistance may be able to keep getting Medi-Cal coverage, CalFresh benefits, child care, and transportation services. Some people think that CalWORKs pays people every week, but they actually pay people between the first and third of every month each time.
Usually, money is sent out on the last business day before the first of the month, unless that day is a holiday or weekend. That is why help should arrive this Tuesday, December 31. Beneficiaries are paid by electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards or direct deposits into bank accounts. This makes it easy for them to get their money.
The website for the Department of Social Services says that the EBT card can be used at any business or ATM in California, the other 49 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam that has the Quest® logo.
It also said that if you do not see the Quest® mark, look for a sign that says EBT, SNAP, or Food Stamps. Ask the store manager if you are not sure. The statement says that California EBT cardholders can not use their cards in Puerto Rico right now.
The CalWORKs program goes beyond financial aid
It is not just money that CalWORKs gives out; it also has many other programs that help people become financially independent. People who get CalFresh benefits can use an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which is based on the last number of their county case number. How much money a family gets each month in aid depends on a lot of things, like how many eligible family members they have and any special needs they may have.
We look at the family’s income to figure out how much cash help they should get. Families who have not been able to care for or support their children because one or both parents have died, become disabled, or are otherwise unavailable can get help. In the same way, families with kids where both parents live there but the main breadwinner does not have a job. Foster children need to be cared for by family members.
How can people in California apply for the CalWORKs program?
The Department of Public Social Services says that people who want to apply for the CalWORKs program can do so in the following ways:
- Online: The simplest and fastest method is to apply online at BenefitsCal for CalWORKs.
- By phone: You can apply over the phone. You can request an application to be mailed to you by calling the Customer Service Center at 866 613-3777.
- In-person: In-person applications are accepted at any outreach location or Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) district office. Locate the local services and amenities provided by LA County.