• Economic Security
  • Public Policy and Systems Change

Through advocacy, the California Reinvestment Coalition works to curb the use of predatory financial products that drain money from low-income individuals. This grant supports work to eliminate the fees that welfare recipients pay to access their cash benefits at ATMs. CalWORKs families usually receive benefits via Electronic Benefits Transfer cards, paying $3 to $4 per ATM withdrawal. Those ATM fees totaled $19 million in 2013. Through education and advocacy, the Coalition strives to keep this money in the hands of CalWORKs beneficiaries.