California Families Could Get $725 a Month — Are You On the List?

If you live in California and could use a little extra cash in 2025, there’s some good news. The state is rolling out the Family First Economic Support Pilot Program, which offers $725 monthly payments to qualifying families. But who exactly qualifies, and how do you get it? Let’s break it all down.

What’s This $725 Payment All About?

This is part of California’s effort to help families, especially those with young kids, make ends meet. The goal is to keep families stable, especially those in tough situations, and prevent things like foster care placements. The $725 you’ll get each month is meant to help with the basics—like rent, groceries, and other day-to-day expenses. And you can expect to get this help for 12 months, from December 2024 all the way through November 2025.

So, Who Gets This Payment?

Not everyone will be able to get in on this. There are some key things you’ll need to meet:

1. Live in Certain Areas: This program is focused on specific ZIP codes in Sacramento County, so you’ll need to live in one of these areas:

   • 95815, 95821, 95823, 95825, 95828, or 95838.

2. Income Limits: Your household needs to be making 200% or less of the federal poverty level. To give you an idea, if you’re a family of four, that would mean earning under around $58,000 per year.

3. Have Young Kids: You need to be a legal guardian of a child who’s between 0 and 5 years old. The program is all about supporting families with young children.

4. Priority for Some Families: The program gives priority to African American and Native American families, aiming to support communities that have faced more challenges.

How Many Families Will Get the $725?

The program’s first round is helping 200 families, selected through a lottery system. If you didn’t get picked this time, don’t worry! There will be more opportunities in the future. Keep an eye out for the next round.

When and How Will You Get the Payments?

Once you’re approved, you’ll get $725 every month for a full year, starting in June 2025. Here’s how the payments will be sent to you:

• Direct Deposit: If the state has your bank info, the money will go straight into your account.

• Paper Checks: If you don’t have a bank account, you’ll get a check in the mail.

• Preloaded Debit Cards: Some people may get the payment via a debit card with the funds already loaded on it.

How Do You Apply?

The deadline for applications for the current round was April 27, 2025, so if you missed it, you’ll need to wait for the next round. The application was all done online, and you had to show proof of residency, income, and guardianship.

Make sure to check the official website (ffesp.org) regularly so you don’t miss out on the next application window. It’s your chance to get on the list!

A Few Things to Keep in Mind:

• No Taxes on This Money: The $725 you receive is tax-free. That’s right—what you see is what you get. No taxes taken out.

• Targeting Specific Communities: As I mentioned, the program prioritizes helping African American and Native American families, aiming to support those communities that might face more challenges.

• More Families Might Get Help: While only 200 families are getting help right now, there’s a chance that more families could be included in the future. So even if you didn’t get in this time, it’s worth checking for the next round.

What You Need to Know

If you meet the criteria for this program, you could be getting $725 a month for 12 months. The payments are designed to help you get by with the essentials, and they’re available to families in specific areas of Sacramento County.

For now, 200 families will benefit from this program, but there could be more opportunities in the future. The payments are tax-free, and you’ll receive them through direct deposit, checks, or preloaded debit cards—whatever works best for you.