I'm brand new to CalFresh and this community, and reading your experience has me absolutely floored! Nobody mentioned ANYTHING about location tracking during my application process - I feel like this is such crucial information that they're deliberately withholding from applicants. What your worker put you through sounds completely inappropriate and honestly traumatic. Shopping near your workplace is literally the most normal, practical thing anyone would do! The fact that they ambushed you with this mystery "appointment" and then interrogated you like you were committing a crime is absolutely unacceptable. I've been using my EBT card at various stores across different cities just trying to find the best deals and freshest produce to make my limited benefits stretch as far as possible. Now I'm genuinely terrified that I might get one of these intimidating calls for doing exactly what any smart shopper would do! It's so discriminatory that people needing food assistance have to worry about this kind of surveillance and harassment while people with regular income can shop wherever they want without question. This whole system seems designed to make us feel guilty and ashamed for needing help. You absolutely did nothing wrong, and I really hope you follow through with filing that complaint against this worker. They clearly need serious training on what actual fraud looks like versus normal life activities. Thanks for sharing this - it's awful you went through it, but it's really valuable for newcomers like me to understand what we might face. Stay strong and don't let them intimidate you!

I'm completely new to CalFresh and this whole situation is absolutely infuriating! Like so many others have mentioned, NOBODY told me during the application process that they track where we shop - this feels like such important information that should be disclosed upfront. What your worker did was completely out of line and honestly sounds like harassment. Shopping near your workplace is totally normal and practical - anyone would do that! The fact that they called you in for this mystery "appointment" without explaining why and then made you feel like a criminal for basic grocery shopping is unacceptable. I've been shopping at different stores trying to find the best prices and selection to stretch my benefits, and now I'm worried I might get ambushed with one of these interrogations too. It's so wrong that we have to live in fear of being questioned for normal activities that people with regular income do without thinking twice. You definitely didn't do anything wrong, and I hope you file that complaint. This worker clearly needs training on what actual fraud looks like versus normal life patterns. Thanks for sharing your experience - it sucks you went through this, but it's really helpful for newcomers like me to know what we might face in this system.

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because I just went through the exact same thing last week at a Carl's Jr! I felt so embarrassed when my card got declined and I had to scramble for cash. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the Restaurant Meals Program or that there were different eligibility requirements. It's really frustrating that this information isn't clearly explained when you first get approved for CalFresh. I'm definitely not in any of the qualifying categories (I'm 28 and housed), but at least now I understand why it happened instead of thinking there was something wrong with my card. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it makes me feel less alone in this confusing situation!

This is such an important conversation! I'm really grateful everyone shared their experiences because I almost made the same mistake last weekend. I was at a Del Taco and saw they had an EBT sign, but after reading all these comments, I realized my regular CalFresh card wouldn't work there since I don't qualify for RMP. It's honestly a relief to know this ahead of time rather than finding out the hard way at the register. What really strikes me is how many of us have had similar experiences - it seems like this confusion happens ALL the time. Maybe we could put together some kind of simple guide or infographic that explains the difference between regular CalFresh and RMP? Something that could be shared in communities like this to help newcomers understand what to expect. The current system of learning through trial and error (and public embarrassment) really isn't working for anyone. Has anyone tried reaching out to their county office to suggest better communication about these program differences? I'm thinking maybe if enough of us request clearer information, they might actually improve how they explain things to new applicants.

I'm experiencing this exact same issue in North Carolina! Started having problems about 2 weeks ago - my EBT card works perfectly fine in physical stores but keeps getting rejected for Walmart Plus online orders. I'm a disabled veteran with PTSD and I specifically got the subscription because crowded stores can trigger anxiety attacks for me. Online grocery delivery has been essential for my mental health and wellbeing. What's really frustrating is that I called customer service three times and got completely different responses each time. First rep said it was a "system update" that would be done in 24-48 hours (that was 10 days ago), second rep claimed my card was "temporarily suspended" even though I'd just used it at the store that morning, and the third rep told me they were "upgrading security features" with no timeline at all. Reading through all these comments from 8 different states is really eye-opening - this is clearly a massive nationwide problem that Walmart is either unable or unwilling to fix quickly. The fact that they're still advertising EBT acceptance while knowing the system doesn't work feels incredibly misleading, especially for those of us who depend on this service for accessibility reasons. I'm definitely going to file complaints with the USDA and BBB, and I'm going to demand a full refund for my Walmart Plus membership. As a disabled veteran who relies on this service to avoid triggering environments, this feels like discrimination. I shouldn't have to choose between my mental health and getting groceries because a company can't maintain their payment systems properly. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and all the helpful resources - it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this, even though the situation is completely unacceptable.

This is absolutely unacceptable and reading through all these experiences from 9 different states is both heartbreaking and infuriating. I'm also dealing with this same issue - my EBT card works fine in stores but Walmart Plus keeps rejecting it online. I'm a single mom with three kids under 10, and I work two part-time jobs just to make ends meet. I specifically saved up for the Walmart Plus subscription because I could order groceries after my kids went to bed and have them delivered while I'm at work, so my neighbor could receive them. Now I'm stuck paying for a service that doesn't work and having to drag three young children on public transit to grocery shop, which takes half my Saturday. What really gets me is that Walmart is STILL advertising EBT acceptance on their website and app - I literally saw an ad yesterday promoting "Use your EBT card for convenient delivery!" If they know the system is broken across the entire country, how is it legal to keep advertising and selling subscriptions based on a feature that doesn't work? That feels like straight-up false advertising to me. I'm going to file complaints with the USDA, BBB, and honestly considering reaching out to my local news station because this is affecting so many vulnerable families. We're talking about disabled veterans, seniors with mobility issues, caregivers, single parents, students without transportation - the people who MOST need accessible grocery delivery are the ones being failed by this "technical glitch" that's been going on for months. Everyone who's shared their story here should absolutely demand full refunds or significant extensions on their memberships. We shouldn't have to pay for services that don't work, especially when we specifically chose them for EBT access. This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for speaking up and sharing resources. Let's keep the pressure on until this gets fixed properly!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a CalFresh recipient from Stanislaus County and I'm amazed at how much I've learned about Museums for All just from reading everyone's experiences. My 8 and 12-year-old are homeschooled and I've been struggling to find affordable educational field trip options. The fact that we can visit Cal Academy for $3 per person instead of $45 is absolutely game-changing for our family budget! I'm definitely planning a trip to SF now and looking into the other participating museums mentioned here too. It's so encouraging to read about families from different counties successfully using their EBT cards there without issues. Thank you Lorenzo for asking this question and thank you to everyone who shared their detailed experiences, tips about timing, and insider knowledge. This community is such an amazing resource for discovering benefits we never knew existed. Already bookmarking the Museums for All website and planning our educational adventure!

I'm so grateful for this thread! I'm a CalFresh recipient from Tulare County and this is the first I'm hearing about Museums for All. My 10-year-old son is really into science and has been begging me to take him somewhere with "real experiments and cool stuff" but I always had to say we couldn't afford it. Seeing that we can get into Cal Academy for $3 instead of $45 is absolutely incredible! Reading through everyone's experiences gives me so much confidence that our EBT card will work there even though we're from a smaller rural county. I'm already looking up bus routes from Visalia to SF since we don't have a car, but even with transportation costs this would still be so much more affordable than regular admission prices. Thank you Lorenzo for asking this question and thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed tips about timing, what to expect, and other participating museums. This community has literally opened up educational opportunities I never knew existed for families like ours!

lol i was worrying about this too. taxes are so confusing.

Don't stress about it - you're definitely not alone in being confused! I went through the same thing my first year on CalFresh. The good news is everyone here is right - CalFresh benefits are completely tax-free and don't get reported anywhere on your return. Since you mentioned you're filing for the first time with benefits, here's what helped me: when the tax software asks about "government benefits," they're usually talking about unemployment, Social Security, or disability payments that DO get taxed. CalFresh/SNAP is never included in that category. The most important thing is making sure you claim all the credits you're entitled to as a single parent. With your income level that qualified you for CalFresh, you'll probably get a really good refund from the EITC and Child Tax Credit. I was shocked at how much I got back my first year! Also, if you're using paid tax software, check if you qualify for the IRS Free File instead - it'll save you money and works just as well for straightforward returns like yours.