--- slug: benefit-programs-what-each-gives title: "Public benefit programs: what each one gives" kind: procedure status: published hash: 6fd7e667b48735453995870781eef21eae0bff116c4e2b4ba70dfe9a6a072a6d created: 2026-10-09T09:41:24.326Z updated: 2026-10-09T11:22:52.089Z summary: "Food, health coverage, energy bills, phone and internet, a tax credit: what each program gives, in the agency’s own words, and where to apply. Amounts only where the agency states them." tags: ["benefits","california","federal"] above: [] below: [] adjacent: ["[[calfresh-help]]"] nested: [] --- # Public benefit programs: what each one gives *Food, health coverage, energy bills, phone and internet, a tax credit: what each program gives, in the agency’s own words, and where to apply. Amounts only where the agency states them.* ## What each program gives Seven programs, each described in its agency’s own words, with the place to apply. An amount appears only where the agency’s page states one; otherwise the cell says UNKNOWN. ```widget { "type": "table", "ref": "#facts.rows", "columns": [ { "key": "program", "label": "Program" }, { "key": "gives", "label": "Gives" }, { "key": "who", "label": "For" }, { "key": "amount", "label": "Amount" }, { "key": "apply", "label": "Apply" }, { "key": "source", "label": "Source" } ], "title": "Benefit programs" } ``` ```widget { "type": "json", "ref": "#facts.not_read", "title": "Not included yet" } ``` ## Facts ```json { "rows": [ { "program": "CalFresh (SNAP in California)", "gives": "monthly food benefits", "who": "individuals and families with low income (eligibility by the county)", "amount": "UNKNOWN on the page the build read", "apply": { "url": "https://benefitscal.com/", "text": "BenefitsCal" }, "source": { "url": "https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh", "text": "CDSS, CalFresh" } }, { "program": "SNAP (federal)", "gives": "monthly food benefits (CalFresh is SNAP in California)", "who": "low-income families", "amount": "UNKNOWN on the page the build read", "apply": { "url": "https://benefitscal.com/", "text": "BenefitsCal" }, "source": { "url": "https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh", "text": "CDSS, CalFresh (SNAP in California)" }, "note": "USDA’s own SNAP page answers 403 to this site’s verifier; the California page is the source" }, { "program": "WIC", "gives": "healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals", "who": "pregnant, or a child under 5 (California WIC’s words)", "amount": "UNKNOWN on the page the build read", "apply": { "url": "https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/", "text": "California WIC" }, "source": { "url": "https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/", "text": "California WIC" } }, { "program": "Medi-Cal", "gives": "free or low-cost health insurance", "who": "Californians with limited incomes", "amount": "free or low-cost (the page’s words)", "apply": { "url": "https://www.coveredca.com/medi-cal/", "text": "Covered California" }, "source": { "url": "https://www.coveredca.com/medi-cal/", "text": "Covered California, Medi-Cal" } }, { "program": "LIHEAP (California)", "gives": "help with energy bills", "who": "low-income households", "amount": "UNKNOWN on the page the build read", "apply": { "url": "https://www.csd.ca.gov/energybills", "text": "CSD, Energy bills" }, "source": { "url": "https://www.csd.ca.gov/energybills", "text": "California Department of Community Services & Development" } }, { "program": "Lifeline", "gives": "a monthly discount on phone, internet or bundled service", "who": "eligible low-income subscribers", "amount": "up to $9.25 a month towards phone or internet; up to $34.25 on Tribal lands (USAC)", "apply": { "url": "https://www.usac.org/lifeline/", "text": "USAC, Lifeline" }, "source": { "url": "https://www.usac.org/lifeline/", "text": "USAC, Lifeline" } }, { "program": "Earned Income Tax Credit", "gives": "a tax credit that reduces the taxes owed and may increase the refund", "who": "low- to moderate-income workers and families", "amount": "depends on income, children and other criteria (the page); figures UNKNOWN on the page the build read", "apply": { "url": "https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc", "text": "IRS, EITC" }, "source": { "url": "https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc", "text": "IRS" } }, { "program": "California LifeLine", "gives": "discounted home phone and cell phone services", "who": "qualified households", "amount": "UNKNOWN on the page the build read (a broadband pilot: up to $20 standalone, up to $30 bundled, Decision 25-08-050)", "apply": { "url": "https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/consumer-support/financial-assistance-savings-and-discounts/lifeline", "text": "CPUC, California LifeLine" }, "source": { "url": "https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/consumer-support/financial-assistance-savings-and-discounts/lifeline", "text": "CPUC" } } ], "not_read": { "what": "programs or pages that no official HTML page this page’s verifier can read answered for; each stays out of the table rather than be filled in", "tried_on": "2026-10-09", "ssi": { "program": "SSI (Supplemental Security Income)", "status": "UNKNOWN: not in the table", "tried": [ { "url": "https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html", "status": "403" }, { "url": "https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-eligibility-ussi.htm", "status": "403" }, { "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/28/2025-19516/cost-of-living-increase-and-other-determinations-for-2026", "status": "200, but the page served is “Request Access: programmatic access to these sites is limited”" }, { "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2025-19516.json", "status": "404" }, { "url": "https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-10-28/html/2025-19516.htm", "status": "404" }, { "url": "https://www.usa.gov/ssi", "status": "404" } ] }, "snap_federal": { "program": "SNAP (federal page)", "status": "the California page (CDSS CalFresh) is used instead", "tried": [ { "url": "https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility", "status": "403" } ] }, "wic_federal": { "program": "WIC (federal page)", "status": "the California page (myfamily.wic.ca.gov) is used instead", "tried": [ { "url": "https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic", "status": "403" } ] }, "lifeline_fcc": { "program": "Lifeline (FCC page)", "status": "the USAC page is used instead", "tried": [ { "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers", "status": "403" } ] } } } ``` ## Sources 1. [CalFresh](https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh) — “known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, provides monthly food benefits to individuals” (sha256 0a95bdb881cb08d2) 2. [Medi-Cal](https://www.coveredca.com/medi-cal/) — “It gives free or low-cost health insurance to Californians with limited incomes.” (sha256 2d9676db3ad5ec22) 3. [Energy bills (LIHEAP)](https://www.csd.ca.gov/energybills) — “Behind on your energy bills? LIHEAP may be able to help.” (sha256 63fde5659936e99d) 4. [Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)](https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc) — “The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low- to moderate-income workers and families get a tax break.” (sha256 34d5f37fbbe829e9) 5. [California WIC](https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/) — “If you are pregnant or have a child under 5, WIC can help” (sha256 eb06b61d07d41365) 6. [Lifeline](https://www.usac.org/lifeline/) — “Lifeline is a federal program that offers a monthly benefit of up to $9.25 towards phone or internet services for eligible subscribers” (sha256 071e274826a991fe) 7. [California LifeLine Program](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/consumer-support/financial-assistance-savings-and-discounts/lifeline) — “California LifeLine provides discounted home phone and cell phone services to qualified households.” (sha256 a0024eb1fae05da8) --- **adjacent:** [[calfresh-help]]