How to Qualify for a California Lifeline Cell Phone

There are two ways to qualify, and they are a bit different than other states.

Method 1 Program-Based – You can qualify if you or another person in your household is enrolled in any one of the following public assistance programs:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
• Veterans Pension and Survivor's Benefit.
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
• Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
• Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

Plus, you may be eligible under these state programs, until the new federal laws make them ineligible win 2017:

• Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC)
• Healthy Families Category A
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
• Stanislaus County Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs)
• Welfare-to-Work (WTW)
• Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN)

Method 2 Income-Based – You may also qualify if your total annual household gross income is at or less than annual income limits for your household size: