To participate in the Southern California Gas CARE (California Alternate Rates for Energy) program, you’ll need to provide documentation to verify your eligibility. This program helps income-qualified households save money on their monthly gas bills. This guide outlines the acceptable documents you can submit to demonstrate your participation in qualifying public assistance programs or to prove your household income.
For any documentation you provide, whether it’s a screenshot or a physical copy, please ensure it meets the following criteria:
- Clarity: The image and text must be clear and easily readable.
- Source Identification: The name of the issuing agency or website should be visible.
- Name Verification: Your name, or the name of the household member applying, must be clearly stated.
- Date Validity: The document must be current, ideally dated within the last 12 months.
- Amount Indication (if applicable): If the document is intended to demonstrate proof of income, the amount should be clearly visible.
Important Security Note: For your personal security, remember to black out any Social Security numbers or bank account numbers on all copies of your documents before submitting them.
Documents to Prove Participation in Public Assistance Programs
If you are currently enrolled in one of the public assistance programs listed below, you can provide documentation of your participation to qualify for the CARE program. Here’s a breakdown of acceptable documents for each program:
| Public Assistance Program | Acceptable Documents |
|---|---|
| Medi-Cal | – Current Medi-Cal eligibility letter or Benefits Identification Card (BIC) with an issue date within the last 12 months. – Form 1095-B, Health Coverage (DHCS 68-0317191). |
| Medi-Cal for Families A&B | – Current statement displaying the monthly premium amount. The statement should be no older than 12 months. |
| Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) | – WIC Authorization Folder (WAF) with ID Number. It must show a future-dated appointment (including month/date/year) or a current WIC voucher. – Award letter or Notice of Action letter from WIC. – Screenshot from the WIC phone application showing a future appointment. |
| CalWORKs (TANF), Tribal TANF | – Current Notice of Action or computer printout of benefit letter. This document must show current participation and be dated within the last 12 months. |
| Head Start Income Eligible – Tribal Only | – Current Award Letter (Notice of Action). – Approved Head Start application. – Statement of enrollment in Head Start. |
| CalFresh (Food Stamps) | – Current Award Letter (also known as Notice of Action). – Letter of CalFresh eligibility dated within the last 12 months. |
| Bureau of Indian Affairs – General Assistance | – Current Notice of Action from County Social Services. – Copy of a current check from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. – Bureau of Indian Affairs ID card dated within the last 12 months. |
| National School Lunch Program (NSLP) | – Current Award or Acceptance letter that explicitly states “NSLP”. – Current school year Acceptance Letter from the school or school district, clearly mentioning NSLP. |
| Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) | – Proof of direct LIHEAP payment made to the utility company. – Copy of Energy Intake Form (CSD 43) showing LIHEAP participation. – Proof of LIHEAP Payment directly to your utility provider. |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | – Notice of Planned Action dated within the last 12 months. – Recent bank statement showing direct deposit of SSI benefits. – IRS Form 1099 related to SSI benefits. |
Documents to Prove Household Income
If you are not participating in any of the public assistance programs listed above, you can still qualify for the Southern California Gas Care Program by providing documentation to prove your household income meets the program requirements. Here are the acceptable documents based on your income source:
| Income Source | Acceptable Documents |
|---|---|
| Wages, Salary, Paychecks, Tips, Commissions | – Copies of your two most recent consecutive pay stubs showing gross income. – Federal Tax Forms: Form 1040 with accompanying worksheets Schedule(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, Form 2555, Form W-2, Form 1065, or Form 1099-M for all wage earners in the household. |
| Social Security (SS), Social Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Workers Compensation | – Current statements of benefits for SS, SSI, or SSDI. – Two most recent copies of checks received for these benefits. – Bank statements showing deposits from Social Security, SSI, or SSDI. – IRS Form 1040 or IRS Form 1099 related to these income sources. |
| Unemployment Benefits | – Copy of a current unemployment benefit check or printout from the Employment Development Department (EDD). – Two most recent consecutive unemployment checks or check stubs. – Award Letter or Notice of Action Letter from the EDD. – Federal Income Tax filing with attached W2s and/or 1099s related to unemployment benefits. |
| Pensions and Annuities | – Copies of current pension or annuity checks. – Annual statement from your pension plan. – Bank statement showing pension deposits. – Two most recent consecutive pension or annuity check stubs. – Most recent Award Letter or Notice of Action related to your pension or annuity. |
| Disability Compensation | – Copy of a current disability compensation check. – Printout from the agency or insurance company verifying the amount of disability compensation. |
| Profit from Self-Employment | – IRS Form 1040, along with Schedule C or C-EZ for self-employment income. – IRS Form 1099(s) related to self-employment income. – Affidavit of Income for self-employment. |
| Rental Income, Royalty Income | – IRS Form 1040, plus Schedule E for rental income or Form 1065 for royalty income. – Rental agreement specifying the rent amount and an affidavit of rental income. |
| Interest/Dividends from Savings Accounts, Retirement Accounts, Stocks, Bonds | – Monthly or quarterly statement of interest income from your bank or financial agency. – IRS Form 1040 or IRS Form 1099(s) related to interest and dividend income. |
| Insurance, Legal Settlements | – Settlement documents from insurance claims or legal cases. |
| Child and/or Spousal Support | – Most recent court documents showing child and/or spousal support amounts. – Copy of a current child or spousal support check. – Signed letter from the paying spouse confirming the support amount and frequency. – Bank statements showing child and/or spousal support deposits. – Affidavit of Income from the recipient, notarized if possible. |
| Veteran’s Benefits | – Letter indicating receipt of a Veteran’s Pension. – Copy of a V.A. check. – Two most recent consecutive V.A. checks or check stubs. |
| School Grants, Scholarships, or Other Aid | – Award Letters for grants, scholarships, or aid. – Two most recent consecutive pay stubs if the aid is provided as pay. – Copy of the check or financial statement showing annual benefits from the college, university, or bank providing the aid. |
| Support from an Individual | – Copy of a check from the individual providing support and a signed statement from them indicating the amount and frequency of support. – Affidavit from the individual providing support. |
| Other Sources of Income | – Documentation of any other monies received by your household that are used to pay monthly bills. Please provide detailed information. |
| None of the Sources Above | – A statement explaining the sources of income used to support your household, if none of the above categories apply. – Affidavit of Income detailing your household income sources. |
The CARE program is funded by California utility customers and administered by SoCalGas under the regulations of the California Public Utilities Commission. Program funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and the program may be modified or terminated without notice. Ensure you meet all eligibility requirements as detailed in the program conditions to successfully apply for the Southern California Gas CARE program.
