One important thing to remember - always check your balance before withdrawing! You can check your CalWORKs cash balance for free by calling the number on the back of your EBT card (1-877-328-9677) or using the BenefitsCal website/app. I learned this the hard way after getting hit with an insufficient funds fee once when I assumed money had been deposited but it was delayed.

Just wanted to add that if you're in the South Bay area, the ATMs at most County Federal Credit Union locations are also part of the surcharge-free network for EBT cash withdrawals. They have branches in San Jose, Campbell, and Santa Clara. I've used the one on Stevens Creek Boulevard several times without any issues. Also, pro tip - if you're ever unsure about an ATM, look for the "Quest" logo on the machine - that's the network that processes EBT transactions. If you see that logo, you should be good to go!

So this is gonna happen every 3 months then? Extra money for healthy food? That's actually pretty cool. My kids might actually eat a vegetable if I can afford the good stuff lol

This is really helpful information! I'm in Riverside County and got the $10 too but had no idea what it was for. I was actually worried it might be some kind of error. It's reassuring to know this is an official pilot program. Does anyone know if there's a way to sign up for text notifications specifically? I tend to miss the BenefitsCal portal messages but would definitely want to know about future quarterly payments.

Similar thing happened w/ my mom last month! Turns out her worker forgot to check some box in their system, so even though she was approved on paper, the benefits weren't getting sent to her EBT card. Had to get hold of the actual caseworker to fix it. The EBT people were useless cuz they just handle the cards not the actual benefits authorization.

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble getting through to your county office too, try calling first thing in the morning right when they open - like 8 AM sharp. That's when I finally got through to mine after days of busy signals. Also, some counties have online portals where you can send messages to your caseworker, which might be faster than phone calls. The whole system is so frustrating but don't give up - you deserve those benefits you were approved for!

@confused_mom Yes, the P-EBT SunBucks cards are completely separate from regular CalFresh benefits. You can absolutely use both! They're different programs with different funding sources. Think of the P-EBT as extra food benefits specifically for your school-aged children. The regular CalFresh is for the whole household's food needs. Neither one affects the other's benefit amounts.

I'm in Fresno County too and just got my P-EBT SunBucks cards yesterday for my two kids. Same situation - the automated system said benefits won't load until the 31st. My last name starts with T so that matches what others are saying about the S-Z batch. It's really frustrating because my kids are asking why their friends can use their cards already but we have to wait. I understand they're trying to prevent system crashes but they really should have explained the staggered rollout better in the letters they sent. At least now I know it's normal and not a problem with our specific cards. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

just curious did both ur cards come in the same envelope or separate ones? my kids got theirs in different envelopes but on same day

I had this exact same issue last month! My 7-year-old got two Summer EBT cards with $120 each. I called the P-EBT hotline (it took forever to get through) and they confirmed it was a system error. They deactivated one card and told me to destroy it. The rep said this happens when kids are in the system multiple times due to school changes or data entry errors. Definitely call - they were really helpful once I got through, and now I don't have to worry about getting hit with an overpayment later.