The cynic in me says you just don't know how to play the system. But maybe the rules have changed and/or CA is different than WA. I had no trouble getting food stamps back in 1970-72 as a student with a part time job. When I taught at an inner city adult school in Seattle in 1978-80 most of my students were on welfare, even though they were paid to go to this school (CETA program).