LACo_DPSS

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a free income tax preparation service provided by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services to CalWORKs and CalFresh participants who received assistance and worked during the previous income tax reporting year. All DPSS volunteers are trained and certified tax preparers.

The Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) serves an ethnically and culturally diverse community through programs designed to both alleviate hardship and promote health, personal responsibility, and economic independence. These benefits are magnified by the kind and caring service offered by DPSS Volunteers Here are only a few examples: Toy Loan Centers Help operate a community toy library lending toys, books and games to community children or collect donations of usable toys and other items for the Toy Loan Centers. We have a variety of volunteer opportunities to offer interested citizens of all ages, including staff and particular organizations that wish to serve the community. Our program is designed to recruit and assign volunteers to projects that enhance, strengthen and expand services to participants in departmental programs. for an application packet necessary to register as a DPSS Volunteer. here for a Youth Volunteer Application packet to participate in our Youth Volunteer Program. Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services Volunteer and Special Programs 2615 South Grand Ave., 2nd Floor Los Angeles, California 90007-2608 Tel: (213) 744-4348 Fax: (213) 743-9998 Email us at dpssvolunteers@dpss.lacounty.gov.

The name for California's Food Stamp Program has changed as a result of recent State law. The new name for the program is "CalFresh". The name change will not change your benefits. The amount of CalFresh (formerly known as food stamp) benefits you receive will not be different because of the name change. CalFresh was established to improve the nutrition of people in low-income households. It does that by increasing their food-buying power, so they are able to purchase the amount of food their household needs. CalFresh benefits are used instead of money at the grocery store. CalFresh benefits are issued via a Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.

Proposition 47 (Prop 47) was passed by the voters and became law on November 5, 2014. The law made some non-violent property crimes, where the value does not exceed $950, into misdemeanors. It also made some simple drug possession offenses into misdemeanors. Proposition 47 does not apply to everybody. In general, you are disqualified from getting the benefit of Proposition 47 if you have specified prior convictions or if you are required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Penal Code section 290, subdivision (c).

Semi-Annual Report (SAR) 7 is submitted twice yearly by CalFresh participants in order to maintain eligibility for CalFresh benefits. The report asks for information related to earnings, household composition and more.

#RMP refers to the Restaurant Meals Program that allows homeless and disabled persons to use their CalFresh benefits to purchase hot, ready made meals at participating restaurants with their #EBT card, helping them to save their cash benefits for other expenses.

bit.ly/DPSSYBN

YourBenefitsNow! (YBN) is a website (dpssbenefits.lacounty.gov) for Los Angeles County Residents to apply for and to view their public assistance benefits online. These benefits are administered by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services (DPSS). Currently, YBN supports CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Relief and MediCal applications.

The Toy Loan Program is a free service administered by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services. It allows children to borrow toys from a Toy Loan Center in the same manner in which they borrow books from the public library.

Visit the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services online at dpss.lacounty.gov to apply for benefits and learn more about our programs and services. We invite you to follow us on Facebook @LACoDPSS, Twitter @LACo_DPSS and Instagram @laco_dpss for additional resources and information.

#ChooseCalFresh is an effort to increase CalFresh enrollments and bring awareness to the issue of food insecurity in Los Angeles County. Food insecurity occurs when a household lacks enough income to meet their nutritional needs and must choose between purchasing sufficient food for adequate nutrition OR meeting other basic living expenses like housing, utilities, medications and transportation costs. When County residents #ChooseCalFresh, they are better able to meet their nutritional needs AND cover other household expenses.

Adopt-A-Family matches donors with families in need during the holidays, fulfilling wishes and spreading the joy and warmth of season.