I work at a county eligibility office and can confirm what others have said - the automated phone system often doesn't display pending deposits until 3-5 days before issuance. Your benefits should continue automatically between quarterly reviews as long as you haven't received a Notice of Action about discontinuation. The fact that you only received an appointment notice (not a discontinuation notice) is actually a good sign. Your April verification is routine and shouldn't affect your monthly deposits. Keep checking around the 4th-5th if your case number ends in 7!

I've been on CalFresh for about 2 years now and this exact same thing has happened to me multiple times, especially around quarterly reviews. The phone system is honestly pretty unreliable for showing future deposits - sometimes it shows them, sometimes it doesn't. What I've learned is that as long as you haven't gotten any official notices about your benefits being discontinued, they usually deposit on schedule regardless of what the automated system says. Since you mentioned your case number ends in 7, definitely check your account on the 7th. In my experience, the benefits almost always show up even when the system acts weird like this. Try not to stress too much about it!

Hi Paloma! Welcome to San Bernardino County! I just moved here from Nevada last year and went through the CalFresh application process, so I totally understand the stress of navigating a new state's system. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that San Bernardino County has mobile CalFresh application assistance that comes to different community locations throughout the month. They set up at libraries, community centers, and even some grocery stores to help people apply in person. This was a game-changer for me because I could get help with the application AND submit all my documents right there with someone checking to make sure everything was complete. You can find their mobile schedule on the San Bernardino County Human Services website - just search for "mobile CalFresh enrollment." They also speak Spanish and have interpreters available if needed. Also, since you're coming from out of state, make sure you have proof of your new California address ready (utility bill, lease agreement, etc.) as they'll need to verify residency. A PO Box won't work - it has to be a physical address in the county. Your income situation sounds really promising for qualification, especially with two kids and that rent amount. The shelter deduction will definitely help bring your net income down. Good luck with your application - you've got this! 🙂

Hi Paloma! Welcome to San Bernardino County! I just wanted to add something that might be helpful since you mentioned your husband just got a new job - make sure you keep documentation of any gap in employment he might have had between Arizona and California. Sometimes caseworkers ask about employment history, especially if there was any period of unemployment during your move. Also, I noticed several people mentioned the BenefitsCal website - one tip I learned the hard way is to clear your browser cache before starting your application. The site can be glitchy with saved data from previous sessions, and starting fresh helps avoid technical issues that could delay your application. Since you're coming from Arizona, you might also want to know that California allows households to have slightly higher vehicle values without it affecting CalFresh eligibility compared to some other states. One reliable vehicle per adult household member doesn't count toward resource limits regardless of value. With your income at $3,100 gross for a family of 4, you should definitely qualify. The shelter deduction with your $1,800 rent will help a lot. Just make sure to report your Arizona SNAP case closure date on your California application - this can sometimes help with processing timing. Good luck with your application! San Bernardino County can be slow, but being well-prepared with documents seems to make a big difference in processing time.

I just wanted to add another data point for everyone who's waiting - I'm in Riverside County and got my P-EBT 4.0 card yesterday! Like others mentioned, it went to the address I had on file with my daughter's school as of January 2025. What surprised me was that even though I have CalFresh and my address in that system was outdated (I forgot to update it when I moved last summer), they still used the correct school address. So it really does seem like the school address takes priority over other benefit programs. For anyone still stressing about this - the card came in a plain white envelope with "California Department of Social Services" as the return address, so keep an eye out for that. Also, there was a phone number on the back of the card specifically for P-EBT questions that seemed to have shorter wait times than the main hotline. Hope this helps!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! I moved in November 2024 and have been panicking about my P-EBT 4.0 card going to my old apartment. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been SO helpful - it sounds like as long as I updated my address with my son's school before January 2025 (which I did in December), I should be okay. I tried calling the hotline last week and waited 2 hours just to get disconnected, so I'm really grateful for all the real-world data points people are sharing here. Has anyone else noticed if certain counties are getting their cards faster than others? I'm in Orange County and still waiting. Also @Hannah Flores that Claimyr service sounds like a lifesaver - definitely going to try that if I need to call again!

This whole thread is so helpful! I've been dealing with the same P-EBT confusion at stores. One thing I learned from my caseworker is that you can also show them the back of your P-EBT card - it has the same "Quest" logo and processing info as regular EBT cards, which helps prove they're processed the exact same way. I've had success at the Costco in Modesto by going to customer service first before shopping and asking them to make a note that I'll be using P-EBT at checkout. That way the cashier is already prepared and there's no confusion or delays. Might be worth trying if you want to avoid any awkward moments with a full cart! The $1,800 you mentioned is definitely worth fighting for - that could feed your family for months if you shop smart at Costco. Don't let uninformed employees keep you from using benefits you're entitled to!

I work part-time at a grocery store and deal with EBT transactions daily, so I can shed some light on this from the employee perspective. The main issue is that many cashiers (especially newer ones) aren't properly trained on P-EBT cards since they look slightly different from regular EBT cards and have different expiration dates. From a technical standpoint, P-EBT cards run through the exact same payment processing system as regular EBT - there's literally no difference in how the register handles them. The confusion usually happens because some employees think P-EBT is a "special" or "limited" program and don't realize it's just a different way of distributing SNAP benefits. My advice: if you get pushback, ask them to try running it as EBT first. If that doesn't work, then ask for a supervisor. Most of the time the card will process just fine once they actually attempt the transaction instead of refusing upfront. And definitely mention that it's federally mandated - that usually gets managers to take it seriously. Hope this helps from the "other side of the counter" perspective!

Just wanted to add that if you're looking for ways to save on household essentials, some dollar stores like Family Dollar and Dollar General have different layouts than Dollar Tree - they often have more grocery sections where you can use your CalFresh benefits for food, and their non-food items are sometimes priced competitively too. Another tip I learned: if you have a Walmart nearby, their Great Value brand household products are often cheaper per unit than Dollar Tree, especially if you catch them on rollback. I know it requires more cash upfront, but buying larger sizes can save money in the long run. Also, don't overlook ethnic grocery stores in your area - they often have amazing prices on cleaning supplies and paper products, plus great food deals you can use your CalFresh benefits for. The Asian market near me has huge bags of rice and dried beans that last forever!

I totally get your confusion - I thought the same thing when I first got CalFresh! The $1.25 price point at Dollar Tree makes it seem like everything should be affordable with benefits, but unfortunately the federal SNAP rules are really strict about food vs. non-food items. One thing that's helped me is learning to shop strategically at Dollar Tree. I focus on their decent food selection first - things like canned vegetables, pasta, rice, and frozen items that I can get with my CalFresh benefits. Then I make a separate small list of only the most essential household items I absolutely need and budget cash for those. If you're really struggling with household supplies, check out your local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook - people give away cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and other essentials all the time. Also, some food banks include household items in their distributions, so it's worth asking when you visit. The 99 Cent Store (if you have one nearby) sometimes has better deals on cleaning supplies than Dollar Tree too. Hang in there - it gets easier once you learn to work within the system!