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Just wanted to add that if your daughter is receiving any financial aid at all (not just CalGrant), she might qualify for the College Promise Program exemption. Many community colleges automatically enroll students in this program if they're getting any form of financial aid, but students don't always realize it. I'd suggest having her check with the financial aid office - they can tell her right away if she's in any qualifying programs. Also, about your summer income situation - definitely report that change ASAP! I made the same mistake for years and lost out on hundreds of dollars in benefits during summer months. The system is confusing but once you know how to work it, it can actually help a lot more than people realize.
This is all such great advice from everyone! As someone new to navigating CalFresh, I had no idea there were so many different exemptions for students or that you could report income changes outside of the regular reporting periods. It's frustrating how complicated the system is, but it's amazing to see this community helping each other figure it all out. @b81bfc1fa5fb your point about the College Promise Program is really helpful - I bet a lot of students qualify without knowing it!
I'm so sorry you're going through this - the student eligibility rules are really tough to navigate. One thing that might help immediately while you're figuring out your daughter's exemptions: have you considered applying for emergency food assistance through your local food bank? Many don't have the same strict student rules as CalFresh and can provide groceries while you work through this process. Also, since you mentioned your daughter's grades are slipping, check if her college has academic support services - some schools have programs that help students balance work and school if she does end up needing to work for the CalFresh exemption. The combination of tutoring support plus a small work-study job might be more manageable than a regular job. Hang in there - this community has given you some really solid leads to follow up on!
@5d35a60a84b7 Thank you for mentioning the food bank option - I hadn't thought about that as a temporary solution while we figure out the CalFresh situation. Do you know if food banks require proof of income or have waiting periods? And the academic support idea is really smart too. I'm realizing from all these responses that there might be more resources available than I initially thought. It's overwhelming trying to navigate all these different programs, but having this community share their experiences and knowledge is incredibly helpful. I feel like I have actual actionable steps to take now instead of just feeling stuck!
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I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same situation! My card was cancelled this morning without any warning - I was trying to buy groceries for my kids and it just wouldn't work. I had no idea what was happening until I found this thread. Thank you so much @Ethan Campbell for explaining about the security breach affecting 35,000 cards - that finally gives me some answers! It's absolutely ridiculous that they would cancel our cards without any notification when people depend on these benefits to feed their families. The embarrassment at the store checkout was awful. I'm definitely going to try calling the EBT line at 8am tomorrow and mention the security breach specifically to get expedited shipping like others have done successfully. This community has been more informative than any official communication - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and tips during this frustrating situation!
Welcome to the community @Omar Fawaz! I'm so sorry you had to experience that embarrassing situation at the store checkout with your kids there - that's absolutely awful when you're just trying to buy groceries for your family and suddenly your card stops working with no explanation. You definitely didn't do anything wrong, and it's completely understandable to feel frustrated and confused. The fact that 35,000 people had their food access cut off without any warning is just inexcusable on the system's part! I'm glad you found this thread though - the community here has been incredible at sharing information and supporting each other when the official channels have completely failed us. Definitely try that 8am call strategy tomorrow and mention the security breach specifically - so many people here have had great success getting expedited shipping that way. Also, while you're waiting for your replacement card, don't hesitate to look into local food banks or emergency food assistance programs - that's exactly what those resources are for when situations like this happen. It's ridiculous that we have to piece together information through community forums, but at least we're all here helping each other navigate this mess. Hope you get your new card quickly!
I'm new to this community but going through the exact same nightmare right now! My EBT card was suddenly cancelled yesterday while I was shopping for my family, and I had no clue what was happening until I found this incredibly helpful thread. Thank you so much @Ethan Campbell for explaining about the security breach affecting 35,000 cards - finally someone with actual answers! It's absolutely outrageous that they would cut off people's food access without any advance warning or explanation. The humiliation at the checkout counter was terrible, especially with other customers waiting behind me. I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy tomorrow and specifically mention the security breach to request expedited shipping like so many of you have done successfully. This community has provided more useful information and support in this one thread than any official communication I've received. It's shameful that we have to figure this out ourselves through forum posts, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing their experiences and tips. Will also check out local food banks while waiting for the replacement card. Thank you all for helping each other when the system has completely abandoned us!
Welcome to the community @Chris Elmeda! I'm so sorry you had to go through that humiliating experience at the checkout - it's absolutely devastating when your card suddenly stops working while you're just trying to buy food for your family. You definitely didn't do anything wrong, and your frustration is completely justified. The fact that 35,000 people had their food access cut off without any warning is just unacceptable! I'm really glad you found this supportive thread though - this community has been amazing at sharing practical tips and emotional support when the official system has left us all in the dark. The 8am calling strategy has been working really well for people, so definitely try that tomorrow and mention the security breach specifically. Several members here have successfully gotten expedited shipping that way. And absolutely check out those local food banks while you wait - there's no shame in using emergency food resources when the system has failed us like this. It's ridiculous that we have to rely on community forums to get basic information about our own benefits, but at least we're all here helping each other navigate this mess. You've got this, and hopefully you'll get your replacement card quickly!
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One important clarification I want to add: you mentioned your caseworker talked about "utility allowance calculations." This refers to the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) I mentioned earlier. Receiving LIHEAP actually HELPS your CalFresh calculation because: 1) It automatically qualifies you for the full SUA ($463) in your benefit calculation 2) This often maximizes your shelter deduction 3) A higher shelter deduction typically means more CalFresh benefits So if anything, LIHEAP might indirectly help your CalFresh benefits, not hurt them. The most important thing is to accurately report your rent and dependent care costs on your application and SAR7 forms, as these have the biggest impact on your benefit amount.
This makes so much sense now! Thank you for breaking it down. I was worried LIHEAP would count as income and reduce my CalFresh. Really appreciate everyone's help here.
Just wanted to add that you should definitely keep all your LIHEAP paperwork! When you do your next SAR7 or recertification, make sure to bring documentation showing the LIHEAP assistance was for utilities specifically. Sometimes county workers get confused and might try to count it as income if they don't understand what it is. Also, since you're in Oakland, you might want to check out the Alameda County Community Food Bank - they have additional food assistance programs that can help stretch your CalFresh benefits further. They also sometimes have info about other local rental assistance programs that might have shorter wait times than Section 8. Hang in there! It sounds like you're doing everything right by getting all the help you can for your family.
This is really good advice about keeping the paperwork! I'm new to navigating all these programs and didn't realize how important documentation is. Do you know if there are any other documents I should make sure to keep copies of? I want to make sure I'm prepared for my next appointment so there's no confusion about what counts as what.
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This whole thread has been super educational! I've been on CalFresh for about a year and completely forgot about the COLA increase from last October. When I saw an extra $62 on my card yesterday (went from $523 to $585 for my 3-person household), I honestly thought maybe they finally processed some change I'd reported months ago. It's really helpful seeing everyone's amounts and understanding that the increase varies based on your specific income situation. I feel kind of silly for not remembering this from last year, but at least now I know to expect it every October! The timing is perfect too since I was just stressing about how much more expensive everything is at the grocery store compared to last year. Thanks to everyone who explained the Thrifty Food Plan connection - I had no idea that's how they calculated these adjustments. Definitely going to set a calendar reminder for next September so I'm not confused again in 2026!
Don't feel silly at all! I think a lot of us forget about these annual increases from year to year, especially when there's so much other stuff to keep track of with benefits. I've been on CalFresh for about 3 years and I still get surprised every October even though I should know it's coming by now. Your increase sounds really good for a 3-person household! I love the idea about setting a calendar reminder for September - I'm definitely going to do that too. It's wild how much grocery prices have gone up this year, so this COLA timing really is perfect. Thanks for sharing your experience, it helps to know other people have the same "wait, what is this extra money?" reaction every year!
Just wanted to chime in as another person who was totally confused by this! I'm a college student and have been getting CalFresh for about 8 months now. When I checked my balance this morning and saw I had $267 instead of my usual $238, I immediately thought someone had made a mistake with my account or maybe used my card somehow. I was actually about to report it as fraud before I decided to google "CalFresh October increase" and found this thread! It's such a relief to know this is normal and happens every year. Really wish they made this more clear to new recipients during the application process - like maybe mention "hey, your benefits will automatically increase each October based on food cost adjustments." The extra $29 might not sound like much, but as a student living on ramen and whatever's on sale, every dollar helps! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and explaining how this all works. Definitely bookmarking this community for future questions!
I'm so glad you found this thread before reporting it as fraud! That would have been such a hassle to deal with. You're absolutely right that they should mention these annual increases during the application process - it seems like such basic information that would save everyone a lot of confusion. As a fellow student, I totally get how even $29 makes a real difference when you're budgeting carefully. It's actually pretty cool that the system automatically adjusts for food cost inflation each year, even if they're terrible at communicating it. Welcome to the community! There's always helpful info being shared here about navigating all the confusing parts of the benefits system that they don't explain well elsewhere.
NeonNova
This whole thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who works with seniors in my community, I see this situation constantly - people getting their benefits slashed when emergency allotments ended, not knowing about medical deductions they're entitled to, and struggling to get through to overwhelmed county offices. Rami, I'm so glad you were able to get your benefits increased! Your experience highlights a huge gap in the system - caseworkers should be proactively helping seniors identify all available deductions during initial applications and recertifications, not waiting for people to stumble across this information online or through word of mouth. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation, here are a few additional resources to consider: - Contact your local Area Agency on Aging - they often have benefits counselors who specialize in helping seniors navigate CalFresh, Medicare Savings Programs, and other assistance - Check if your county has a Senior Legal Aid program that can help advocate for proper benefit calculations - Document everything - keep copies of medical receipts, utility bills, and any correspondence with your caseworker The difference between $49 and $150 per month is life-changing when you're on a fixed income. Thanks for sharing your story and helping other community members learn about options they might not have known existed!
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Sofia Gutierrez
•This is such valuable information! I'm new to this community and honestly had no idea about medical expense deductions for CalFresh. Reading through everyone's experiences really shows how much knowledge gets passed around here that you just can't find easily elsewhere. It's honestly shocking that caseworkers don't automatically walk seniors through all available deductions - seems like that should be part of their job! But I'm so grateful for communities like this where people share real solutions that actually work. I'm going to bookmark this thread and share it with some folks I know who might be dealing with similar situations. The step-by-step advice about documenting medical expenses and using services like Claimyr to actually get through to a real person is exactly the kind of practical help that makes a real difference. Thanks to everyone who contributed - especially Rami for sharing the update showing this stuff actually works!
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Luca Ricci
As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how helpful everyone has been in this thread! Reading through Rami's journey from $49 to potentially $150+ per month really shows the power of knowing your rights and having access to the right information. I'm actually dealing with a similar situation - my benefits dropped significantly when the emergency allotments ended, and I had no idea about medical expense deductions either. My elderly neighbor has been struggling with the same issue, and she's been too embarrassed to ask for help navigating the system. This thread is like a masterclass in CalFresh advocacy! The combination of practical advice (documenting medical expenses, using Claimyr to get through to caseworkers), specific program recommendations (CSFP, Medicare Savings Program), and real success stories gives me hope that these systems can actually work when you know how to navigate them. I'm definitely going to try the medical expense deduction route and will share this information with my neighbor. It's frustrating that this knowledge isn't automatically provided, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share real solutions that make a tangible difference in people's lives. Thanks to everyone who contributed their expertise and experiences!
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