You can find your local food banks by texting your zip code to 898-211 or by visiting www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank. Many don't have income requirements - they're open to anyone who needs food assistance. Also, after the emergency allotments end, you might see your benefit amount adjust slightly with the annual cost of living increase scheduled for October 2025. It won't make up for the emergency allotment loss, but every little bit helps.

I'm in the same boat as you @ElectricDreamer - single parent struggling with this news. One thing that helped me was requesting a copy of my benefit calculation from my worker so I could see exactly how they arrived at my regular amount. Turns out I was missing some deductions that could boost my base benefit by about $80/month. Also, if you're working, make sure they're using the correct earned income deduction (20% of gross earnings). Sometimes errors happen and it's worth double-checking. The WIC program might also help if your kids are under 5 - it provides specific foods like milk, eggs, and cereal that can free up some of your CalFresh budget for other items.

UPDATE: I just wanted to share that I called BenefitsCal today (took forever to get through) and asked about this program. For anyone interested, they said the 2025 produce incentive programs vary by county. In my county, they're expanding to more stores this year including some major supermarket chains! So definitely worth asking about specifically for your location.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to CalFresh and had no idea about these produce incentive programs. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key things to remember are: 1) It's extra money on top of your regular benefits, 2) Can only be used for fresh fruits/vegetables, 3) Each location works differently (farmers markets vs grocery stores), and 4) You might need to ask specifically about it since not all cashiers know about the programs. Going to check if my local farmers market participates this weekend!

Not to get off topic but why do they always reset the CalFresh benefits on different days? Mine come on the 7th but my sister gets hers on the 14th. Makes no sense!

So glad you got it sorted out! For future reference, you can also check your EBT card balance and transaction history through the ebtEDGE mobile app - it's really helpful for keeping track of your benefits and making sure everything looks right. And don't feel embarrassed about the PIN lockout - it happens to everyone! The cashiers see it all the time and most are pretty understanding about it.

Just an update on my situation - I finally got through this morning by calling right at 8am. Waited 25 minutes but finally talked to someone. Turns out they implemented some new verification system in January that flagged a bunch of accounts for "review" but they're behind on processing them. The worker manually pushed mine through. You should ask if yours got caught in the same verification backlog.

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! My benefits were supposed to load on the 15th but nothing came through. I've been calling that same number for days with no luck. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like there's a widespread problem with their new verification system. I'm going to try calling at 8am tomorrow and also look into that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it's frustrating but at least I know I'm not alone in this. @Emily Nguyen-Smith I hope you get your benefits sorted out soon, especially with kids to feed. This system is broken and they need to fix it ASAP.

Update: We tried Denny's last night (the one on Howe Ave) and it worked! My dad was so happy to have a hot meal out. The server seemed very familiar with the RMP program and said they get a lot of customers using it. We're going to try Raley's deli counter next. Thanks everyone for your help!

Just wanted to add that if anyone is having trouble with the BenefitsCal app (it can be glitchy), you can also text "FOOD" to 877877 to get a link to current RMP locations near you. It's run by the state and usually more up-to-date than printed lists. Also, many Pizza Hut locations in Sacramento County participate now - they added this in late 2024 but it's not widely known yet. My neighbor uses her RMP benefits there regularly.