This is such valuable information! As someone who travels frequently for work between different counties in California, I've always worried about what would happen if I lost my EBT card while away from home. It's really reassuring to know that the system is designed to work statewide, even if not every office staff member is immediately aware of the cross-county policies. The tip about bringing documentation on your phone is brilliant too - I never would have thought of that! It sounds like having the official policy readily available can make a huge difference when advocating for yourself. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences here, especially Mei for the detailed update. This thread is going straight into my bookmarks! 🙌

This is such a lifesaver of a thread! I'm a college student who splits time between my parents' house in Orange County and school in San Francisco, and I've always been terrified of losing my EBT card while away from home. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - especially knowing that the system is actually designed to work statewide even when individual office staff might not initially know the policies. The practical tips are gold too - like bringing documentation on your phone and being prepared to advocate for yourself if needed. It's also really helpful to know that the EBT customer service line is such a reliable backup option. I'm definitely saving this thread for future reference and will share it with other students who might face similar situations. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences, especially those who took the time to provide detailed updates on what actually worked! 💯

Welcome to the community, Zainab! I'm also relatively new here but have already learned so much from everyone's shared experiences. It really is both scary and reassuring to see how common these benefit calculation errors are - scary that they happen so frequently, but reassuring that there are people here who know how to navigate the system and get things fixed. Kyle's story is a perfect example of why this community is so valuable. When you're panicking about feeding your family and can't get through to anyone at the county office, having people who've been through similar situations share their knowledge and offer support makes such a huge difference. Connor, definitely try calling and asking them to review all the data they have on file - rent amounts, income figures, household size, etc. Sometimes it's just one small mistake that creates a big problem!

This whole thread has been such an eye-opener for me as someone who's been on CalFresh for about 6 months now. Kyle, I'm so glad you got your benefits restored - that rent calculation error is exactly the kind of mistake that could happen to any of us! Reading through everyone's experiences really highlights how fragile this system can be and how one small error can create such a crisis for families. What really strikes me is how knowledgeable this community is about navigating these issues. The advice about requesting state hearings within 10 days, checking household composition, and asking for supervisor reviews - this is the kind of practical information that can make the difference between going hungry and getting the help you need. I'm definitely going to be more vigilant about checking my benefit calculations and keeping copies of all my documentation. It's scary to think that something as simple as a typo in rent amount could cut my family's food budget, but it's reassuring to know there are people here who've dealt with similar situations and can guide others through the process. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and support - this community is truly a lifeline for those of us trying to navigate the CalFresh system!

I completely understand your hesitation about entering so much personal information! I had the exact same concerns when I first discovered the ebtEDGE app a few months ago. The amount of information they require (full card number, DOB, and complete SSN) definitely feels overwhelming at first. What helped me feel more secure was following the verification steps others have mentioned - I went directly to the official California EBT website (ebt.ca.gov) to confirm the app was legitimate, then downloaded it only from the Apple App Store, making sure it was published by FIS Global. The reason they need all that information is actually for your protection - they want to be absolutely certain that you're the real cardholder before giving access to your benefits. I've been using the app successfully for about 4 months now and it's honestly been a game-changer for managing my family's food budget. Being able to quickly check my balance before shopping has prevented several embarrassing situations at checkout! The transaction history feature is also really helpful for tracking spending and catching any errors. One thing that made me feel more comfortable was enabling the biometric login (fingerprint/face ID) after the initial setup - that way you only have to enter all that sensitive information once. Your caution is completely justified given how important these benefits are for your family, but I can assure you the app is legitimate and secure when downloaded from official sources.

I completely get your concern about entering all that personal information - it's totally normal to be cautious when it comes to protecting your benefits! I went through the same worry when I first heard about the ebtEDGE app about 8 months ago. What really helped put my mind at ease was doing my own verification before downloading. I went to the official California EBT website (ebt.ca.gov) and found their section about mobile apps, which specifically mentions ebtEDGE as their official app. Then I made sure to download it only from the Google Play Store, checking that it was published by "FIS Global" - the legitimate company that handles EBT card services. The app does require all that information (card number, DOB, full SSN) because they need to absolutely verify you're the real cardholder before giving you access to your benefit information. It's actually a good security measure, even though it feels scary at first! I've been using it for months now without any issues, and it's been super helpful for checking my balance quickly before grocery trips and reviewing transaction history. One tip that made me feel more secure: once you set it up initially, you can enable fingerprint or face ID login so you won't have to keep entering all that sensitive information every time. Your family's food security is too important to risk with a fake app, but this one is definitely the real deal when downloaded from official sources!

Almost forgot! If you have kids under 18, check with their schools too. Many Orange County school districts have emergency family resource funds through their McKinney-Vento programs, especially if you're at risk of losing utilities which could make your housing unstable. My daughter's school ended up helping with a $200 emergency utility grant last year when we were struggling.

I've been in a similar situation with high utility bills while on CalFresh. One thing that really helped me was getting a home energy audit through SoCalGas - they do them for free and can identify issues like the heater problem you mentioned. They found that my old water heater was using way more gas than it should have been. Also, if you're renting, your landlord is actually responsible for maintaining appliances in working order, so definitely push them to check that heater ASAP. A malfunctioning heater could be costing you hundreds every month. While you're waiting for LIHEAP approval, you might also try calling your local United Way chapter - they sometimes have small emergency grants that can bridge the gap. Good luck, and don't give up - there really are resources out there to help!

This is happening to so many families and it's absolutely unacceptable! I'm a working single mom with two kids and just discovered that $890 in P-EBT funds disappeared from my card last Thursday. Like everyone else, I never received any notification letter about this policy change. I had been specifically saving those benefits for summer when my kids would be home from school and need more meals throughout the day. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both heartbreaking and helpful - it's clear this is affecting families across the board who were trying to budget responsibly. I'm definitely going to call my county office first thing Monday morning and use the "Administrative Error Restoration" language that Myles provided. It's encouraging to see that people like Khalil and others have actually gotten most of their benefits back through this process. I'll make sure to document everything, get case numbers, and be persistent like everyone suggested. Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice - it really helps to know we're not alone in this fight. Will definitely update everyone on how my call goes!

I'm so frustrated and scared right now - just discovered that $1,200 in P-EBT funds disappeared from my card yesterday! I'm a single mom with four kids and was counting on those benefits to help get us through the summer when they're all home from school. Like everyone else here, I never received any notification letter about this policy change. I had been deliberately saving those funds because I knew summer would be our hardest time financially. Reading through all of your experiences has been both devastating (seeing how many families are affected) and incredibly helpful - especially the specific advice about "Administrative Error Restoration" that Myles shared. I'm definitely going to call my county office first thing tomorrow morning and use that exact language, along with all the documentation tips Simon and Geoff provided. It's really encouraging to see that people like Khalil got most of their benefits back through this process. Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and advice - it helps to know I'm not fighting this alone. I'll make sure to document everything, get case numbers, and be persistent. Will absolutely update everyone on how it goes!