A series of virtual workshops in June could help people in Orange County better understand the resources and benefits available to them during these difficult times. In the month of April, California’s unemployment rate skyrocketed to 15.5 percent as businesses across the golden state were ordered to close amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
With so many people in need of assistance, the Orange County United Way is partnering with the County of Orange Social Services Agency to host a series of free informational Zoom sessions to explain commonly-used benefits programs that help our most vulnerable residents obtain food, employment, healthcare, and more.
The workshops will be held from 11am -12pm on June 16th in English, June 18th in Vietnamese, and on June 23rd in Spanish. There will be an additional workshop covering similar topics for community-based organizations that wish to learn more on June 25th.
The programs up for discussion include CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKS, General Relief, and Emergency Child Care. Those sessions will break down what these benefits offer, who is eligible, and how to enroll while also debunking common myths.
Programs Up For Discussion:
CalWORKS – provides temporary financial assistance and employment-related services to families with children.
CalFresh – established to improve nutrition by increasing participant’s food-buying power so they can purchase nutritious food such as fruits and vegetables.
Emergency Child Care – Children of essential workers may be eligible to enroll in subsidized emergency child care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
General Relief – a County-funded program that provides temporary cash aid to eligible adult residents who are ineligible for Federal or State programs.
Medi-Cal – provides health coverage for families, pregnant women, and people with disabilities among others.
For more information and registration instructions, click HERE. The workshops will be recorded, and all registrants will receive access to view them.