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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Update: I just signed up using the link someone shared above and got approved within a few hours! The process was super easy. Thanks to everyone who helped explain how it works. I'm excited to start using the Prime benefits, especially the free shipping and Prime Video. This will definitely help stretch my budget a bit further!
congrats!! enjoy ur prime! the grocery delivery is good 2 when ur benefits reload u can order food right to ur door
That's awesome that you got approved so quickly! Just a heads up - if you're planning to use your EBT benefits for grocery delivery through Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods, make sure to check if delivery is available in your area first. Some parts of California don't have coverage yet. Also, there's usually a minimum order amount (around $35) for free delivery even with Prime, but it's still super convenient for bulk shopping or when you can't get to the store. The Fresh pickup option is also great if delivery isn't available - you can order online and just drive up to collect your groceries.
Thanks for the heads up about delivery areas! I'm in the Bay Area so hopefully coverage is good here. The $35 minimum makes sense - I usually do bigger grocery runs anyway to save on trips. The pickup option sounds really convenient too, especially on days when I'm not feeling up to going inside the store and dealing with crowds. Do you know if they have good selection for fresh produce and meat? Sometimes I worry about quality when ordering groceries online.
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This thread is absolutely incredible and should be required reading for every CalFresh recipient! I've been on benefits for about 7 months and travel fairly regularly to visit family in different states. I had absolutely no clue about the 14-day automatic fraud flag rule and have been completely lucky that my trips have mostly been shorter than that timeframe. The lack of transparency about these policies during enrollment is honestly shocking. They make it sound so straightforward - "use your benefits anywhere in the US" - but don't mention these crucial security measures that could leave you stranded. It feels almost intentionally misleading at this point. I'm immediately setting up a BenefitsCal account and will definitely be using those travel notifications for future trips. The Claimyr service tip is also a game-changer - I've been stuck in EBT customer service hell before and knowing there's actually a way to reach a human being is invaluable. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and practical solutions, especially the original poster for updating us with the resolution. This community knowledge is filling such a huge gap in the official guidance we receive. I'm definitely sharing this thread with other recipients I know because this information could prevent so much unnecessary stress and hardship for families just trying to use their benefits responsibly while traveling.
This thread really has been a wake-up call for so many of us! I'm also a newer CalFresh recipient (about 4 months) and reading through all these experiences has made me realize how much we're all just figuring things out as we go. The fact that critical policies like the 14-day fraud flag aren't explained upfront is really problematic - it's like they expect us to learn through trial and error, which could mean getting stranded without food money. I'm also planning to set up those BenefitsCal notifications and look into the Claimyr service. It's honestly frustrating that we need third-party tools just to navigate basic customer support, but I'm grateful this community exists to share these practical solutions. The collective knowledge here is definitely more useful than anything I got during my official enrollment process!
This thread is absolutely essential and has probably saved countless people from getting stranded! I'm a newer CalFresh recipient (just got approved 6 weeks ago) and I'm supposed to visit my grandparents in Idaho for about 17 days this spring. Reading through everyone's experiences here made me realize I was walking straight into a potential disaster - I had zero knowledge about the 14-day fraud protection rule! It's honestly inexcusable that this critical information isn't provided during the enrollment process. The "works in all 50 states" messaging is so misleading when they don't explain the security restrictions that come with it. How are we supposed to use our benefits responsibly if they don't tell us the rules? I'm calling my caseworker tomorrow to set up those BenefitsCal travel notifications before my trip. Also bookmarking that Claimyr service - the idea of actually being able to reach EBT customer service without spending hours on hold sounds too good to be true! Thank you everyone for sharing your real-world experiences and solutions. This community is doing the education job that should be happening officially. I'm definitely passing this information along to other recipients I know because this kind of knowledge could prevent so much unnecessary hardship for families just trying to visit loved ones.
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Thank you all so much for the helpful information! I just submitted our application online through BenefitsCal. I included all the info about my sister moving in and our current income situation. Hopefully it all goes smoothly! I'll update when I hear back about our eligibility.
Good luck! One last tip - after you apply, be sure to check your BenefitsCal account messages regularly. Sometimes they'll request additional verification documents through there rather than mailing you, and if you miss those requests, your application could be denied. The system should send you an email notification when you have new messages, but it doesn't hurt to log in and check occasionally.
Best of luck with your application! Just wanted to add that if you need any documents translated or have language barriers during the process, Kern County is required to provide interpretation services for free. Also, don't be discouraged if they ask for additional verification - it's pretty standard. They might want proof that your sister actually lives with you now (like a utility bill with her name, or a statement from you both confirming she's moved in). The whole process can take up to 30 days, but often it's faster. Keep us posted on how it goes!
This is really helpful advice! I didn't know about the interpretation services - that's good to know for future reference. Question about the proof of residency - would a text message thread or email between me and my sister about her moving in count as verification? Or do they need something more official? I'm trying to gather everything I might need ahead of time just in case they ask for it.
Text messages or emails can help support your case, but they usually want something more official. A signed statement from both of you declaring she moved in on [date] is often accepted. You could also use things like a copy of a lease amendment adding her name, mail delivery confirmation to your address with her name, or even a letter from a neighbor or family friend who can verify she moved in. The county workers are usually pretty reasonable about what they'll accept as long as it shows she's actually living there and not just visiting.
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This thread has been incredibly educational! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. One additional resource I wanted to mention - many colleges and universities in LA also have food pantries that are open to community members, not just students. UCLA, USC, and several community colleges have emergency food programs. Also, the NextDoor app for your neighborhood often has people sharing information about local food distributions and mutual aid groups that can help bridge the gap when EBT systems fail. It's really unfortunate that we need all these workarounds, but I'm amazed by how this community comes together to share practical solutions. Thanks to everyone who contributed their real experiences - this is the kind of information that actually saves people from going hungry!
@Giovanni Conti That s'such a great point about the college food pantries! I had no idea UCLA and USC were open to community members - I always assumed those were just for students. The NextDoor tip is really smart too, especially for finding those smaller neighborhood mutual aid groups that might not show up in official directories. It s'honestly wild how much we have to rely on community networks and word-of-mouth to navigate basic survival needs when government systems fail. This whole thread really highlights how broken the official support infrastructure is, but also how resilient communities can be in filling those gaps. I m'definitely going to share this thread with friends who are on CalFresh - this is exactly the kind of real-world knowledge that makes the difference between having food and going hungry when emergencies happen!
As someone who's been navigating the CalFresh system for over a year now, this thread is absolutely incredible! I wish I had access to this information when I first started - would have saved me so much stress and confusion. The community knowledge shared here is honestly better than any official resource I've found. One thing I'll add for newcomers like myself who might be reading this: don't be afraid to ask questions in this community! Everyone here has been so helpful and understanding. The CalFresh system can feel overwhelming and isolating, especially when you're dealing with emergencies like lost cards, but threads like this show that there are real people who've been through the same struggles and are willing to share what they've learned. Also, for anyone bookmarking this thread (which you definitely should!), I'd recommend taking screenshots of the key information like phone numbers and addresses, since you never know when you might need quick access to this info when you're in crisis mode and can't easily search through old posts. This community is truly a lifeline for those of us trying to navigate these systems! 🙏
Amara Nnamani
This is such valuable information for someone like me who just started the CalFresh application process! I submitted my paperwork two weeks ago and I'm still waiting to hear back, but reading Holly's experience and everyone's responses has really prepared me for what to expect once I start receiving benefits. The fact that you can get a notification saying benefits were deposited but nothing actually shows up is exactly the kind of thing I would have never thought could happen. I'm definitely going to save all the tips people shared here - especially about checking both the EBT system AND BenefitsCal, knowing about the 48-hour rule, and having the county office number ready. It's also really encouraging to see how helpful this community is when someone runs into problems. Holly, thank you for posting all those updates throughout your experience - it really shows the whole process from problem to resolution. This thread is going straight into my bookmarks!
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Freya Thomsen
•Welcome to the community! It's great that you're getting prepared while waiting for your approval. One thing I'd add to all the excellent advice shared here is to also write down your EBT card number and the customer service number as soon as you get your card - I learned the hard way that having those readily available makes a huge difference when you need to call about issues. Also, don't be discouraged if situations like Holly's happen to you - as this thread shows, there are always solutions and people here willing to help. The application waiting period is stressful enough without worrying about potential system glitches, but knowing what to do ahead of time really helps. Good luck with your application!
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Marcelle Drum
This whole situation really highlights how stressful the CalFresh system can be when things go wrong! I've been receiving benefits for about a year now and I've learned that these notification glitches happen more often than they should. What really helped me was setting up alerts on my phone to check my EBT balance every month on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd - that way if there's a delay or error like Holly experienced, I catch it right away. It's also worth mentioning that if you ever can't get through to your county office (which happens A LOT), try calling early in the morning right when they open or later in the afternoon - I've had better luck during those times. Holly, I'm so glad you got this resolved and thanks for sharing all the updates! Your persistence really paid off and this thread is going to help so many people who run into similar issues.
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Marina Hendrix
•This is such smart advice about setting up those phone alerts! I'm still pretty new to all this (just got approved last month) and I definitely learned from Holly's experience that you can't just trust the system to work perfectly. The timing tip about calling early morning or late afternoon is really helpful too - I was wondering when the best time would be to actually get through. It's kind of frustrating that we have to be so vigilant about our own benefits, but at least now I know what to watch out for. Setting up those monthly check reminders is going on my to-do list right now. Thanks for sharing what you've learned from your year of experience!
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