my freind got denied for calfresh but got calworks instead maybe try that too?

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I'm going to reapply immediately with all the documents ready this time. I'll make sure to include our lease agreement showing the $1875 rent and our utility bills too. I tried calling the county office again this morning and sat on hold for 45 minutes before giving up. I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through to a person. Quick question: when reapplying, should I mention that I was previously denied? Or just submit a brand new application as if it's my first time?

When I was in your situation I ended up having to piece together help from multiple places. CalFresh for food, emergency rental assistance from a local nonprofit, and utility assistance through LIHEAP. None of these use your EBT card - they're all separate programs with separate applications. It's exhausting but worth applying for everything you might qualify for. The system is designed to be confusing I swear.

To summarize what everyone has said: 1. Your CalFresh EBT card can ONLY be used for eligible food purchases 2. For housing help, you need to apply for separate housing assistance programs 3. Being on CalFresh might make you eligible for expedited processing of other benefits 4. Call 211 for a comprehensive list of housing resources in your area 5. Look into emergency rental assistance programs for immediate help Hope that helps clarify things! The benefits system can be very confusing to navigate.

not to change subject but does anyone kno if grocery store delis that make fresh sandwiches count as hot food or cold food for ebt? like if i get a sandwich made at safeway can i use my ebt??

For those interested in the Restaurant Meals Program, here's some additional information: 1. Counties currently participating in RMP as of 2025: Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma. 2. To qualify, you must receive CalFresh AND be either: - Age 60 or older - Receiving disability benefits (SSI, SSDI, etc.) - Homeless (lacking fixed/regular nighttime residence) - Spouse of an eligible RMP participant 3. How to check if you're eligible: Your EBT card will have "RMP" printed on it if you qualify. If you think you qualify but don't see this, contact your county office. 4. Finding participating restaurants: Each county maintains its own list of participating restaurants. You can check your county's CalFresh website or ask for a list from your county worker. If you want to learn more about the program or check eligibility, contact your county CalFresh office.

Can I just point out - why are we the ones who have to jump through all these hoops just to access our own benefits?? It's almost like the system is designed to nickel and dime us with fees. They should make it easier to access larger amounts without all these extra charges cutting into benefits that are already barely enough to live on.

Thank you everyone for all this great advice! I'm going to try going inside a bank first, and then use the grocery store cash back option as backup. I had no idea about the 4 free withdrawals either so I'll definitely start keeping track of those. Really appreciate all the help!

Have you checked if someone in your household might know your PIN? Sometimes it's someone close to you. My roommate's boyfriend was taking money from her EBT card for months before she caught him.

SUPER IMPORTANT they only replace benefits if u report within 90 days!!!! also don't wait 2 change ur pin just because u reported it. call right now 877-328-9677 and change ur pin immediately then request a new card. my cousin waited 2 days to change his pin after reporting and they took another $200!!!

Wait I'm confused about something else - when you report things on the SAR7, does that mean your benefits change right away? Or do they wait until the next 6-month period? I'm in a similar situation and trying to figure out when any changes would take effect.

UPDATE: I finally got through to my county worker! She confirmed that security deposit assistance paid directly to the landlord does NOT count as income for CalFresh purposes. She said to still note it on my SAR7 in the 'changes' section but to clearly explain it was a vendor payment for security deposit only, not rent assistance. Thanks everyone for your help!!

i thought calfresh was switching to that new system where u get a text code before the transaction goes thru?? my worker told me that was happening in 2025 to stop these scams. has anyone gotten that feature yet? seems like it would prevent this whole mess

UPDATE: You guys are amazing! She went to the office in person today with all the documentation mentioned here, specifically asked for the EBT-2259 form, and mentioned the 10-day policy requirement. The worker admitted they'd been using the wrong form! They reprocessed everything and said she should have the benefits back within 5 business days - AND they gave her a $75 emergency food voucher to use immediately. Thank you all so much for your help!

$120 for THE WHOLE SUMMER?? That's like $40 a month per kid. Have these people bought groceries lately?? That barely covers a week of food. Better than nothing I guess but still ridiculous how little they think our kids need to eat.

While $120 per child isn't as much as we'd hope, it's important to note this is a supplement to your regular CalFresh benefits, not a replacement. Combined with the Summer Food Service Program sites and potentially increased regular benefits (if you report rent increases), families should be able to piece together enough resources. It's definitely challenging though.

Update for everyone: I just checked the CalFresh website and there's a banner notification saying they're doing system maintenance from the 24th-26th. The automated phone system may not show next month's benefits during this time, but all benefits will be issued on the regular schedule according to your case number. So no need to worry - your benefits will still arrive as scheduled.

mine worked this morning! try again

this happened to my cousin last month!! she got approved for only $23 but didnt get the extra money. she had to fill out some additional form about her housing costs then they added the supplement like 3 weeks later AND gave her backpay for the missed month so dont worry!! youll probably get it all at once

Based on the new information about the "Pending Enrollment" status in your BenefitsCal account, that's almost certainly the reason for the delay. The system is waiting for final approval of your enrollment in the California Nutrition Supplement program. The good news is that these supplements are typically retroactive to your CalFresh approval date, so once your enrollment is processed, you should receive the supplement for October even if it comes late. Make sure to mention the "Pending Enrollment" status when you call. Please let us know what you find out after you contact them - it could help others in similar situations!