More Than Just SNAP Benefits: California Program Can Help Families With Cash Assistance

Aside from SNAP benefits, California residents can benefit from another cash assistance known as TANF or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

TANF, also known as CalWORKs, is a welfare program that provides cash aid and services to qualified needy California families, according to Government Benefits website.

The cash aid program is available in all 58 counties across the state and is operated locally by county welfare departments.

Families that apply for the benefit and qualify for the assistance will receive money every month to help pay for housing, food, and other necessary expenses.

California's TANF eligibility requirements include the applicants' citizenship, age, income, resources, assets, and other factors.

Families who are interested to be part of the benefits program can apply online or by contacting their county social services agency.

TANF services are generally available in California to families that have children in the home who has been deprived of parental support or care due to the absence, disability, or death of a parent.

TANF is also available for families with children when both parents are in the home but the main earner is unemployed, as stated by California Department of Social Services.

In addition, TANF can be availed by needy caretaker relatives of a foster child.

TANF Benefits

In 1996, the TANF program has been enacted to replace Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

However, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities noted that the program reaches far fewer families and provides less cash assistance as compared to AFDC, which left more families in deep poverty.

The government provides a fixed block grant to states using funds to operate their own programs.

States can use federal TANF to assist families in need to care for children; reduce the dependency of parents by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; while also preventing pregnancies among unmarried persons.

Federal funding for the TANF block grant has been placed at $16.5 billion every year since 1996.

Fifteen states spent 10% or less of their TANF funds on basic assistance in 2020.

SNAP Benefits California

In California, SNAP benefits are also known as CalFresh. It is the largest food program in California and gives an essential hunger safety net.

California's Social Services Department noted that CalFresh is federally mandated and state-supervised.

The benefits can be used by recipients to buy nutritious food and prepare healthy meals for their families

It is distributed on a monthly basis through an Electronic Benefits Transfer card and can be used in participating retail stores.

EBT cards look and work like debit or credit card but it contains food stamp benefits.

California calls the state's EBT cards Golden State Advantage cards, which will be provided once applicants are approved for benefits.

The state if California sends out food stamps during the first days of each month depending on recipients' last digit of case number, as Join Providers noted

Household changes such as financial changes or the number of household members should be reported.

EBT cards are not allowed to be used for the purchase of alcohol, tobacco products, and prepared foods among others.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Why the TANF program fails as a safety net for single mothers, other vulnerable Americans - from PBS NewsHour