Jhe year 2022 has witnessed a cost of living crisis through United States.
The combination of supply chain shortages, caused by COVID-19 lockdowns combined with the ban on Russian oil imports, has seen the prices of basic necessities such as food, clothing and utilities such as gas and electricity soar.
People from low-income households in particular have been affected, with these residents relying heavily on social assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly called Food Stamps.
One such welfare program in the state of California is the CalWORKs program, which aims to provide cash assistance and other services to families in need.
What is CalWORKs?
Present in 58 counties, CalWORKs is a social assistance program that helps low-income households by providing short-term assistance in the form of cash payments or other services.
Who is eligible?
The program is open to anyone who is a legal alien or a qualified alien residing in the United States. In addition, these people must be unemployed or underemployed and have a low or very low income.
Finally, individuals must meet one of the following criteria:
- Have a child 18 years of age or younger, or
- be pregnant or
- Be 18 years of age or younger and be the head of your household.
Are you eligible if you are not a US citizen?
As noted above, the program is open to qualified immigrants who are either permanent residents, residents granted refugee or asylum status, conditional entrants, persons on a withholding of deportation or deportation, Cuban/Haitian entrants and some victims of domestic violence. Victims of human trafficking (applicants and holders of a “T” visa), and those who have applied for or are holders of a “U” visa may also be eligible.
This CalWORKs application does not have to worry about being reported to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and can also receive these benefits for their children.