Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Just want to echo what everyone else has said - the homemade route is definitely the way to go! I've been in your exact situation before and ended up making my own ice cream cake. One tip that worked really well for me: buy a pre-made pound cake or angel food cake from the bakery section (totally covered by EBT), slice it in half horizontally, then layer softened ice cream in between and on top. Way easier than starting from scratch and it gives you that nice cake-and-ice-cream combo your son is looking for. You can even drizzle some chocolate syrup between layers to make it extra fancy. The basketball decorations from the dollar store will make it look amazing! Your kiddo is going to be over the moon that his parent made something so special just for him.
That's such a brilliant shortcut using the pre-made cake! I never would have thought of that - much easier than making everything from scratch. The pound cake idea sounds perfect and the chocolate syrup layers will definitely make it look fancy. I'm feeling so much more confident about this whole thing now. It's amazing how this community turned what felt like a disappointing limitation into something that might end up being even better. My son is going to be so surprised when he sees his custom homemade basketball ice cream cake! Thank you everyone for all the creative solutions and encouragement.
This thread is so wholesome! As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how everyone rallied to help Paolo find a solution. I'm also on CalFresh benefits and have definitely felt that frustration when you want to do something special for your kids but run into these confusing restrictions. The homemade ice cream cake suggestions are genius - and honestly, your son will probably treasure the fact that you made it yourself even more than if you'd bought it from BR. Kids remember when their parents go the extra mile like that. Plus you can make it exactly how he wants with all those basketball decorations! Hope his birthday is absolutely perfect and thanks to everyone for sharing such helpful tips. This is exactly the kind of supportive community I was hoping to find!
Join the conversation
wait this is completely different from the Market Match program right? because i use that at farmers markets where they match like $10 of my ebt...
Yes, Market Match is a completely separate program! You can actually use BOTH programs together at participating farmers markets for maximum benefits. Market Match doubles your regular CalFresh dollars (usually up to $10), while California Fresh gives you a separate $50 specifically for produce. If your farmers market accepts both, you essentially get triple benefits!
This thread has been so informative! I'm a single mom in Fresno County with a 7-year-old, and I had NO idea this California Fresh program existed. We get about $280 in CalFresh monthly, so it sounds like we might qualify. The extra $50 for produce would be a huge help - fresh fruits and vegetables are so expensive! I'm definitely going to call tomorrow and ask specifically for the "California Fresh Supplemental Benefit." Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!
You should definitely qualify in Fresno County! Just wanted to add that when you call, if they seem confused about the program, you can also mention it might be listed in their system as the "CalFresh Healthy Fruits and Vegetables Supplemental Benefit" - some offices still use the old name. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to doesn't know about it - ask to speak with a supervisor or someone who handles special programs. Good luck!
Join the conversation
UPDATE: I followed the advice here and it's starting to work! Called EBT customer service with the right terminology and they immediately knew what to do about the theft claim. Then I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through to a supervisor at my county office. The supervisor confirmed there was an error in my income reporting - apparently during my last recertification, they accidentally entered my previous employer's QUARTERLY tax reporting as my MONTHLY income! No wonder it was showing $3,700! She said she's correcting it right away and will process an underpayment claim since I've been receiving reduced benefits due to their error. Thank you everyone for the help!
Great news! Make sure to get something in writing about the correction. They should send you a Notice of Action confirming the income change. Also ask specifically when you can expect to receive any underpayment benefits, as those are typically issued separately from your regular benefits. Glad to hear it's getting resolved!
So glad to see your update! This is exactly why I always tell people to escalate to supervisors - frontline workers often don't have the full picture or authority to make corrections. The quarterly vs monthly income mix-up is unfortunately super common, especially after recertifications. For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues: Dylan's experience shows why it's crucial to 1) use the specific terminology mentioned by QuantumQuasar, 2) escalate to supervisors when needed, and 3) don't give up! The system has problems but there are people who can and will help when you reach the right person. Dylan - definitely follow up on that underpayment claim timeline. In my experience, those can take 30-45 days to process, so don't panic if it doesn't show up immediately. Keep checking your EBT balance and BenefitsCal for updates!
Join the conversation
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'll definitely keep my kids' old P-EBT cards just in case, but now I know to watch for new P-EBT 4.0 cards coming hopefully this spring/summer. I'm going to double-check with the school that they have our current address too. This has been really helpful!
You're welcome! That's a good plan. Also, if you don't receive the P-EBT 4.0 cards by late summer 2025 and you believe your children qualify, there will likely be a way to request replacement cards through the P-EBT website. They usually set up a portal for families who didn't receive their cards or who need replacements. But checking your address with the school now is definitely the best first step to avoid any issues.
This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - got P-EBT 3.0 cards for my two kids last year but wasn't sure what to expect with 4.0. One thing I wanted to add for anyone reading this: if you moved during the school year, make sure to update your address with BOTH your old school district AND your new one. I learned this the hard way when we moved mid-year and almost missed out on benefits because there was confusion about which district was responsible for issuing our cards. Also, keep all your P-EBT cards even if they're at zero balance - I've heard of people getting surprise deposits months later for missed benefits. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here!
That's such a good point about updating addresses with both school districts when you move! I hadn't thought about that complication. It makes sense that there could be confusion about which district handles the card issuance. Thanks for sharing that tip - it could save a lot of headaches for families who relocate during the school year. I'm also glad to hear I'm not the only one keeping the old cards just in case. Better safe than sorry with these benefits!
LunarLegend
Update for everyone: I just called the CalFresh policy line to confirm this. Raw turkeys are 100% eligible for CalFresh/EBT purchase at ANY retailer that accepts EBT. This includes all varieties (frozen, fresh, with seasoning packets, brand name or store brand). The only exceptions would be: 1. Pre-cooked/hot prepared turkeys 2. Turkey meals that are ready-to-eat If your EBT is denied for a raw turkey, ask for a manager immediately and have them check the item's classification in their system. Some stores mistakenly code seasonal items incorrectly. If the manager can't resolve it, you can file a report with your county office and they can reach out to the retailer to correct their system.
0 coins
Javier Hernandez
•Thank you so much for taking the time to confirm this! I'm heading to a different store tomorrow with this information. Really appreciate everyone's help!
0 coins
TechNinja
I work at a grocery store and see this happen sometimes - it's usually because the turkey got scanned wrong in our system or the cashier hit the wrong button. Raw turkeys are definitely EBT eligible! Next time this happens, ask them to manually enter the PLU code or scan it again. If that doesn't work, ask for customer service - they can override it if needed. Don't let one bad experience ruin your Thanksgiving! Most stores will work with you to fix these kinds of mistakes.
0 coins