California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) provides temporary financial assistance and employment support for low- or no-income families with children.

CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) helps families facing hardship due to issues such as domestic violence, illness, job loss, housing instability, or legal challenges.

Children may receive financial assistance even if parents choose not to participate in Employment Services.

Services include:

• Temporary cash aid to low- or no-income families with children
• Support for families experiencing job loss, domestic violence, or other crises
• Employment Services participants with job and education goals
• Help with job-related or school-related expenses for those enrolled in Employment Services
• Training, job search support, and career planning

Web pages

• Home - https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/888/CalWORKs---Cash-Assistance-for-Families
• Apply Online - https://benefitscal.com/
• BenefitsCal Information- https://…

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Vouchers for reduced fees for California ID cards are available for people receiving Nevada County welfare assistance programs (veterans, eligibility & employment, Adult Services or Child Welfare assistance programs).

Go to one of the three Nevada County Department of Social Services offices and ask for a voucher. A county worker must sign the voucher. People who are homeless and on public assistance are eligible to receive a free ID card. This does not replace drivers licenses, only identification cards.

• Eric Rood Administration Center
  950 Maidu Avenue Suite 120
  Nevada City, CA 95959
• Brighton Greens Resource Center
  988 McCourtney Road
  Grass Valley, CA 95949
• Nevada County Joseph Center
  10075 Levon Ave
  Truckee, CA 96161
  
  

Web pages

• Home - https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/879/Social-Services

The Nevada County Department of Social Services offers a supplemental assistance program for adults who do not qualify for federal or state programs such as CalWORKs or SSI/SSP. 

The program is designed to meet basic needs when no other resources are available and serves as a last-resort safety net. General Assistance is a repayable grant, not an entitlement.

Services include:

• Emergency cash assistance for housing, food, and basic needs
• Temporary employment services for individuals deemed employable

Program eligibility is determined through a needs assessment and requires repayment under certain conditions.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/1626/Cash-Assistance-for-Individuals

California Unemployment Department manages the State Unemployment Insurance Program. There are no state unemployment insurance offices that are available for public access.

Web pages

• Home - https://edd.ca.gov/
• File a Claim - https://edd.ca.gov/en/Unemployment/Filing_a_Claim
• Ask EDD - https://askedd.edd.ca.gov/

The California Employment Development Department (EDD) administers these benefits, which are available to workers, business owners, and self-employed individuals who lost their jobs or businesses or had their work hours reduced due to the ongoing wildfires or other disasters.

Web pages

• Home - https://edd.ca.gov/en
• Disaster Benifits - https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Disaster_Unemployment_Assistance.htm
• About - https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/disaster_related_services.htm

How to Report EDD Fraud
Visit Ask EDD at https://askedd.edd.ca.gov/AskEDD/s/ and select the Report Fraud category to complete the Fraud Reporting Form. You can also call the EDD Fraud Hotline at 800-229-6297 or fax 866-340-5484.

When reporting fraud:

• Provide all relevant information about the issue. Your report will be anonymous unless you include your name and phone number.
• Send any fraudulent documents or mail to EDD PO Box 826880, MIC 43, Sacramento, CA 94280-0225. You can also write “Return to Sender” on the envelope and provide it to your mail carrier.
• Write “Return to sender” on the envelope of any mail you receive that does not pertain to you and provide it to your mail carrier.

If you need to provide more information after reporting fraud, contact us again. Include the reference number provided when you first reported the issue.

Note: To ensure the confidentiality and integrity of any investigation, the EDD does not provide status updates unless court… [read more]

The Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) is a 100 percent state-funded program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, or disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigration status. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) eliminated Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) eligibility for most non-citizens. As a result, most immigrants who were not receiving SSI/SSP in August 1996 are no longer eligible for SSI/SSP.

CAPI recipients may be eligible for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), but they must file for each benefit separately. There is no automatic eligibility link between CAPI and these other programs.

To be eligible for CAPI, you must:

1. Be ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to immigration status,
2. Be 65 years old or older, blind, or disabled,
3. Be a resident of California,
4. Meet certain income and resource requirements, and
5. Be a non-citizen and meet the immigration stat…

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AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Online Tax Assistance allows taxpayers to e-file their return themselves free of charge or with the remote assistance of an AARP tax counselor.

Services include:

• Help from a volunteer counselor who walks the user through the process
• Access to free software to prepare taxes totally on their own (OnLine Taxes)
  • Access to free software is limited to taxpayers with an AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) of $73,000 or less.

Web pages

• Home - https://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/

United Way of Nevada County administers the Emergency Fund, which provides one-time financial assistance to Nevada and Sierra County residents experiencing a temporary and verifiable emergency that threatens their housing, health, or safety.

The fund is designed as a last resort to address unexpected crises where no other resources are available. It is not intended for ongoing needs or chronic financial hardship.

Services include:

• One-time financial support for emergency needs affecting housing, health, or safety
• Assistance with costs such as rental deposits, urgent vehicle repairs, or appliance replacement
• Payment support for unusually high utility bills

Additional notes:

Applications are submitted online.

Rental assistance is for security deposit assistance only; this program does not provide rent payment assistance for people already living in their rental.

Web pages

• Home - https://uwnc.org/
• Emergency Fund - https://uwnc.org/emergency-fund
• Application - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp…

[read more]

The Nevada County Department of Social Services provides drop-in benefits information and application assistance.

They help people in enrolling in or renewing benefits programs like:

• Cash Assistance | CalWORKs & more
• Food Assistance | CalFresh
• Healthcare | Medi-Cal
• Housing
• In-Home Supportive Services
• Veterans Services

Drop-In Days and Locations

• Grass Valley Library
  • 207 Mill St, Grass Valley, CA 95945
  • 530-273-4117
  • First Tuesdays, 10:30am-12:30pm
• Madelyn Helling Library
  • 980 Helling Way, Nevada City, CA 95959
  • 530-265-7050
• First Wednesdays, 10am-12pm

Additional notes:

These are drop-in services and no appointment is necessary.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/879/Social-Services
• Drop-in Services Information - https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=7270