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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!
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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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
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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BTW - another tip: when you're in the store and ready to check out, you can quickly unlock the card, check out, then lock it again right there in line. Takes like 10 seconds. I've been doing this for months and my cashiers don't even notice the tiny delay. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!! My friend had $1200 stolen and they only replaced half of it!!!
That's exactly what I'll do! Just set it up and the app seems pretty fast to unlock/lock. Thanks everyone for the help! Feeling much better about keeping our benefits safe.
Just wanted to add - if you're worried about remembering to lock/unlock, you can also set up a routine where you only unlock right before swiping and lock immediately after the transaction goes through. I've gotten into the habit of doing this and it's basically second nature now. Also, the app shows your last transaction time, so you can double-check that everything looks right. Really glad you're taking steps to protect your family's benefits - with three kids, you definitely can't afford to lose anything to these thieves!
That's such a smart routine! I'm definitely going to try that unlock-right-before-swiping approach. With all these horror stories about people losing hundreds or even thousands, I can't take any chances. Just knowing I can see the transaction history in real time makes me feel so much more in control. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - this community is amazing for looking out for each other's families!
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Welcome to California! Just wanted to add that if you're unsure about your eligibility, you can always contact an immigration attorney or a nonprofit legal aid organization before applying. Many counties also have CalFresh outreach coordinators who specialize in helping immigrant families navigate the eligibility requirements safely. In Orange County specifically, you might want to reach out to the Orange County Community Resources office - they have staff who are trained on the intersection of immigration status and benefits eligibility. They can do a confidential pre-screening to help you understand your options without filing an actual application first. Better to be cautious and get proper guidance than to worry about potential issues later!
This is such helpful advice! I wasn't even aware that pre-screening was an option. That sounds like exactly what we need - getting proper guidance before potentially making any mistakes. Do you happen to know if the Orange County Community Resources office offers services in languages other than English? My English is pretty good but for something this important I'd feel more comfortable discussing the details in our native language if possible. Thank you for pointing us in the right direction!
Yes, Orange County Community Resources does offer multilingual services! They have interpreters available for most major languages and can also provide translated materials. When you call to schedule your pre-screening appointment, just let them know what language you'd prefer and they'll arrange for an interpreter to be present. This is especially important for immigration-related benefit questions since the terminology can be very technical. You can reach them at (714) 480-2900. Good luck with everything - sounds like you're being very thoughtful about navigating this process safely!
Just wanted to share some additional resources that might help as you navigate this! Since you're in Irvine, the Irvine Community Services Department also has a CalFresh outreach program - they often have bilingual staff and can help walk you through the application process. They're located at the Irvine Civic Center. Also, many libraries in Orange County (including Irvine's) have computers you can use to apply online if you need help with the technology side of things, and librarians are usually great at helping people navigate government websites. The University Park Library branch is really close to many of the newer immigrant communities in Irvine. One more tip - if you do end up applying for CalFresh, try to submit your application early in the month. Benefits are processed faster at the beginning of each month, and if approved, you'll get your benefits prorated from your application date. Welcome to the community, and don't hesitate to ask more questions - we're all here to help each other!
This is incredibly helpful - thank you so much for taking the time to share all these local resources! I had no idea the library could help with the application process. That's actually perfect since we're still getting familiar with navigating government websites. The University Park Library is walking distance from our apartment, so I'll definitely check that out. And good tip about applying early in the month - I wouldn't have thought of that timing aspect. Everyone in this community has been so welcoming and helpful. Really appreciate all the guidance as we figure out how everything works here!
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Update: I went to the Florin Road office this morning, explained our situation, and got a replacement card within an hour! They made me fill out a form explaining why I needed an emergency replacement, but having kids with no food at home qualified me. Thank you everyone for your help! Special thanks to the person who recommended the Florin Road office specifically - they were right!
That's awesome news! So glad you were able to get your card the same day. This is really useful information for other families in similar situations - it shows that Sacramento County does still offer emergency replacements when you have kids and no food. Thanks for updating us on how it went!
This is such a relief to hear! I'm new to this community and was worried about what would happen if I ever lost my EBT card. It's really reassuring to know that Sacramento County still prioritizes families with children in emergency situations. Thanks for sharing your experience - it will definitely help other parents who might find themselves in the same scary position of having no food for their kids.
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Just want to add a safety tip - when you're setting up either app, make sure you're connected to a secure wifi network or using your phone's data, not public wifi. I work in IT and see people get their info compromised all the time on unsecured networks. Also, both apps will ask you to set up a PIN or use biometric login (fingerprint/face ID) - definitely do this for extra security! And if you ever get logged out unexpectedly or see transactions you didn't make, change your passwords immediately and call the fraud hotline on the back of your card.
This is such great security advice! I never thought about the wifi thing but that makes total sense. I always just connect to whatever's available. Definitely going to be more careful about that when setting up these apps. The biometric login sounds way more secure than trying to remember another password too.
This thread is so helpful! I just got approved for CalFresh too and was totally overwhelmed by all the different apps in the store. Based on what everyone's saying, it sounds like I should download both the official ConnectEBT app (for balance checks) and BenefitsCal app (for case management). Quick question though - do I need to create separate accounts for each app or do they use the same login? Also, has anyone had issues with the apps not working during the first few days of the month when benefits get loaded? I've heard the systems can get overloaded.
Welcome to the CalFresh family! You're right about downloading both apps - they serve different purposes. For ConnectEBT, you'll use your EBT card number and some basic info to set up access. For BenefitsCal, you'll use the same login credentials as the BenefitsCal website (if you don't have an online account yet, you can create one with your case number). They're separate systems so different logins. And yes, the first few days of each month can be slow! The apps sometimes crash or load slowly when everyone's checking their new benefits. I usually wait until day 3 or 4 of the month if it's not urgent. Pro tip: save the customer service numbers in your phone just in case the apps are down when you really need to check something!
Nia Jackson
does anyone know if they backdated payments? like if it takes them 30 days to approve me will i get food money for that whole month or just from when they approve me??
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Luca Romano
•Yes, CalFresh benefits are provided from the date of application if you're approved. So if you apply on June 1st but aren't approved until June 30th, you'll receive benefits for the entire month of June on your EBT card when it's issued. This is called "prorated benefits" for the first month, and it's based on your application date, not your approval date.
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Lilah Brooks
Hey Sean! I'm new to this whole CalFresh thing too and was stressing about similar stuff. Reading through everyone's responses here has been super helpful. I just wanted to add that when I applied last month, they also asked about my rent and utility bills during the interview - apparently these can help increase your benefit amount through deductions. Since you're working part-time, make sure to mention all your housing costs! Also, totally agree with what others said about answering unknown calls - I almost missed my interview because I didn't recognize the number. Good luck with your application!
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A Man D Mortal
•Thanks for jumping in @Lilah Brooks! Really appreciate you sharing your experience. I'm definitely going to make sure I have all my rent and utility info ready - I pay about $1,200 for rent and around $150 for utilities, so hopefully that helps with the deductions. It's so nerve-wracking being new to all this but everyone here has been incredibly helpful. Did your benefits end up being more than you expected with the housing deductions?
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