<prompt> Human: My company had a round of layoffs and today I was informed I have until the 18th and then I am out of a job. Im a single mother who lives paycheck to paycheck. I have already signed up with a recruitment agency and am starting to look for work. However in the interim apart from unemployment what else can I sign up for in California? Im not lazy and just looking for hand outs but Im scared, I have a son to feed and keep a roof over our head. Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you. Thank you all for your support and fabulous advice! I was so stressed out last night but everyone has been so positive and helpful, I feel hopeful and not as panicked. You guys are amazing. THANK YOU!Assistant: Sign up for food stampsSNAP. Dont feel like you are mooching; this is exactly why services like this exist. Once you are on your feet again, you wont need it, but for now, feeding yourself and your son are most important. When I was sick and unemployed in CA, this was a lifesaver. It was one less thing to worry about. Once I had a job, I simply stopped using them. Dont be too proud to take advantage of services like this! You WANT to work, and you deserve this leg up while you get your situation sorted out! Edit: also its set up like a debit card thats only use-able for food items, if you are concerned about that. Most stores and even farmers markets accept EBT cards.Human: Thank you for your kind words. Its a difficult mentality to get around the feeling of mooching but you are right it wont be for long. Thank you for sharing your positive story :  <response>: Dont even think of it as mooching. Look at how many thousands you have paid into the system and now you need a few hundred back. 