One more thing - when you apply for CalFresh, make sure you tell them you have housing costs (rent, utilities) that you're now paying on your own. This can significantly increase your CalFresh benefit amount. And with three kids, you should also ask about the School Lunch Program connection with CalFresh - your kids might automatically qualify for free school meals once you're approved for CalFresh.

I went through this exact same situation 6 months ago when my ex moved out. Here's what worked for me: First, have your boyfriend apply for his own Medi-Cal immediately through BenefitsCal.com - don't wait! He'll get a confirmation number right away. Then report the household change within the 10 day window. What I learned is that even though they're processed by the same office, CalFresh and Medi-Cal have different eligibility criteria. Your boyfriend will likely qualify for his own Medi-Cal coverage if his income is under the limit. The key is getting his application in the system BEFORE you report he moved out - this prevents any gap in coverage. Also, when you apply for CalFresh, emphasize that you now have 100% of the housing costs (rent, utilities, groceries) since he's no longer contributing. This will increase your benefit amount significantly. With 3 kids and being the sole provider now, you should qualify for a decent CalFresh amount. Don't let fear of his coverage stopping prevent you from getting the food assistance your family needs!

Just wanted to add something that might help - if you're having trouble getting through to your worker by phone, try going to the office in person if you can. I know it's a pain, but sometimes showing up with all your documentation in hand can speed things up. Bring multiple copies of everything too! Also, keep detailed notes of every conversation you have with your worker - date, time, what they told you, what they're asking for. I learned this the hard way when my worker forgot they had already asked me for something and wanted me to resubmit it. For your income statement, make sure you also include any regular monthly expenses that might affect your net income calculation - like if your job deducts for health insurance or if you pay child support. They need the full picture of money coming in AND going out. Hope this helps and that you get approved quickly! The emergency aid option sounds like it could really save you given your rent deadline.

Hey Brooklyn! I just went through this exact same process a couple months ago and it was SO confusing at first. What finally worked for me was creating what I called my "money diary" for the past 30 days. I literally went through my bank account, receipts, everything and wrote down every single dollar that came in. Here's what I learned they actually want to see: - Your regular job income (sounds like you have this covered) - ANY side work, even if it's just occasional - Money from family/friends (even if it was just "borrowing" $20 for gas) - Selling stuff (clothes, electronics, anything) - Child support received - Any government benefits - Cash gifts over $30 For anything that doesn't have official paperwork (like your pet sitting), just write it on regular paper: "I earned $X on [date] from pet sitting for [person's name or just 'neighbor']" and sign/date it. The emergency CalWORKs thing that Freya mentioned is REAL - I qualified and got my first payment in 3 days instead of waiting weeks. With your rent due next week, definitely mention that you need emergency assistance when you call! You're almost there - just need to get super detailed about every penny. They'd rather have too much info than too little!

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!

I'm new to this community and going through my first CalWORKs redetermination next month, so this entire discussion has been incredibly helpful! I was getting really anxious about what documents I'd need to prepare, but reading everyone's experiences has put my mind at ease. It's good to know that the standard requirement is just the most recent month's bank statement, and that if they need additional months, they have to specify exactly which ones and why. I'll definitely use the advice about asking directly "which specific months do you need me to submit?" to get clear guidance from my worker. The release form option that lets the county verify directly with the bank also sounds like a great backup plan. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating the system!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here! I have my first CalWORKs redetermination coming up in a couple weeks and was feeling really overwhelmed about what paperwork they might ask for. Reading through this thread has been so reassuring - it sounds like the standard is just your most recent month's bank statement, and if they need anything beyond that, they have to be specific about what and why. I love the advice about asking directly "which exact months do you need me to submit?" to avoid any confusion. The release form option for letting the county verify directly with your bank is also something I hadn't heard of before but sounds really helpful. It's so nice to have a community where people share practical advice like this - navigating government benefits can feel so intimidating when you're doing it alone!

Hey! I'm new here but wanted to share what I learned when I was in a similar situation last year. The WTW program can seem overwhelming at first, but there are definitely options that work for single moms with young kids. A few things that helped me: - Ask specifically about "concurrent activities" - you might be able to combine things like adult education classes with work experience to meet your hours - If you're interested in healthcare, many counties have medical assistant or home health aide programs that are in high demand and lead to good-paying jobs - Don't let them pressure you into just job search activities if that's not what you want - you have the right to choose education/training if it makes sense for your goals One heads up - make sure you understand the "good cause" exemptions for when you might need to miss hours (sick kids, lack of childcare, etc.). Knowing these upfront can save you from getting sanctioned later. It sounds like you're on the right track now with getting more info from your worker. The online admin program sounds like a great fit for your situation! Keep advocating for yourself - you know your needs better than anyone else.

Great question about concurrent activities! From my experience, yes you can often combine different WTW activities to meet your hours. For example, I did an online customer service certification program for 20 hours/week and then did a work experience placement at a local nonprofit for 10 hours/week to get my full 30 hours. The work experience gave me real-world practice while I was learning the skills in my online classes. For medical assistant programs, most have both online and in-person components. The coursework (anatomy, medical terminology, etc.) is usually online, but you'll need to do hands-on clinical training and externships in person. However, some programs are more flexible about when you do the in-person parts - like evening or weekend clinical sessions. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - ask about "education in combination with work" options. If you're doing the admin program, you might be able to get a part-time office job or internship that counts toward your hours while you're still learning. It's like getting paid to practice what you're studying! Definitely ask the counselor to show you exactly how different combinations of activities would work to meet your 30 hours. They should be able to map out a few different scenarios for you to choose from.