Refugee Cash Assistance

What it is:

The Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Program helps refugees by providing cash and medical assistance.

Who is eligible:

Persons who have entered the United States with refugee status. If you have questions about whether or not you meet refugee status requirements, a staff member can help you.

To be eligible for RCA you must:

• Provide the name of the voluntary agency (VOLAG) which resettled you
• Meet immigration status requirements
• Meet work and training requirements
• Meet income and resource requirements

You are not eligible for RCA if you:

• Are eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Have been denied TANF or have been terminated from TANF due to intentional non-compliance with TANF eligibility requirements
• Are a full-time student in an institution of higher education, unless the educational activity is part of a department-approved employability plan

Income and Resource Requirements:

To be eligible for the RCA program you must have resources of less than $1,000. Certain resources, such as the first $5,000 of equity in a vehicle, are exempt.

How it works:

If you had a three person family eligible for RCA you would get $546 if you had not income. If you are working, we count half of your earnings against your grant. If you have a family of three, once you earn over $1,092 per month, you would no longer receive RCA.

If you are getting unearned income, such as child support, that income would be counted dollar for dollar against the grant. If you have a family of three, once you started receiving $546 in unearned income you would not longer receive RCA.

How to Apply:

You can apply for Refugee Cash Assistance at your local Community Services Office or apply online using our Online Application for Services.

As with all our programs, the only way to know for sure if you're eligible is to apply.

The Application for Benefits is available in several languages.

• [English]

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