UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their advice! I called Safeway corporate and they were actually really responsive. They apologized profusely and said they would address this with the store director and the manager involved. They confirmed that ALL Safeway stores are required to accept EBT cards regardless of which county or state issued them. I also filed a complaint with CDSS using the link someone provided. Still waiting to hear back from them, but I feel better knowing I've reported it officially. Finally, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through to my county worker, who was super helpful and said they'd reach out to the store as well. I went to a different store yesterday (Foods Etc in Clearlake) and had no problems using both my EBT and my United Healthcare card. Just wanted to post this in case anyone else in Lake County experiences something similar - don't let them tell you your benefits aren't accepted!

This is such an important update and I'm so glad you took action! Your experience will definitely help others who might face similar discrimination. It's encouraging to hear that Safeway corporate took it seriously - that manager clearly needed education about federal EBT regulations. For anyone else reading this who might experience EBT discrimination: document everything (date, time, employee names if possible), don't let them make you feel embarrassed (you're using benefits you're entitled to!), and definitely report it through multiple channels like Dmitry did. These stores can actually lose their SNAP authorization if they continue violating program rules. Thanks for sharing your follow-up - it gives me hope that the system can work when we advocate for ourselves!

Thanks everyone for the input! Sounds like it's definitely a retailer system issue rather than an actual CalFresh rule. I'll stick to placing orders after 6am from now on. Really appreciate all the helpful responses!

This is such a helpful thread! I had no idea this was a common issue. I've been having the same problem with Target's online grocery pickup when I try to place orders super early in the morning with my EBT card. It's frustrating because that's often the only quiet time I have to get shopping done before my kids wake up. At least now I know it's not my card having issues - just need to wait until after 6am to place the order. Thanks for asking this question and everyone for the explanations!

So glad to see this worked out for you! Your experience is a perfect example of how the system is supposed to work when you have the right documentation and submit everything on time. I hope other community members who face similar situations will see this thread and know exactly what steps to take. It's unfortunate that power outages happen, but at least CalFresh has protections in place for situations like this. Thanks for updating us on the outcome!

This thread is such a great resource! As someone who's been through a similar situation with spoiled food after a weekend-long power outage during a storm, I can confirm that the CF 303 process really does work when you follow all the steps correctly. One additional tip I'd add - if you're in an apartment complex or mobile home park like Hannah, it's worth asking your neighbors if they're also filing claims. Sometimes the property management will write one letter that covers the entire outage for the whole property, which can save everyone time. Also, don't forget that you can claim spoiled medications that require refrigeration too (like insulin) - those go on a separate part of the form but are covered under the same process. Really glad to see Hannah got her benefits replaced!

Hey Niko! Just wanted to add that when you do report changes, you can also do it online through your county's portal instead of calling - might save you the phone wait times that Alberto's sister experienced. Most counties have online reporting now. Also, pro tip: when using any of those benefit calculators, make sure you're using your NET income (after taxes and deductions) not your gross pay from the raise. A $375 gross increase might only be like $280-300 net depending on your tax situation. This could make your benefit reduction even smaller than the estimates you're getting! Good luck with everything and congrats again on the raise! 🎉

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! I got a $400/month raise and was terrified my CalFresh would disappear completely. Turns out I went from $520 to $385 - definitely a reduction but not nearly as dramatic as I feared. One thing that really helped was gathering ALL my documentation before reporting the change - pay stubs, rent receipts, utility bills, childcare invoices, everything. Having it all ready made the process much smoother when I talked to my caseworker. Also, if you have any medical expenses or pay for things like school supplies for your kids, make sure to mention those too as they can sometimes count as deductions. The calculators are helpful for ballpark estimates, but your actual caseworker will be able to give you the most accurate numbers once they plug everything into their system. Don't stress too much - sounds like with your childcare expenses, you'll still get meaningful support even with the raise!

Just to pile on with everyone else's advice - December 18th is definitely wrong! I've been on CalFresh for 3 years and the dates have NEVER changed for holidays. My case number ends in 8 so I always get mine on the 8th of every month, including December. The county would send official notices weeks in advance if they were changing anything that major. Stick with your normal schedule and don't let random grocery store conversations mess with your budget planning!

Hey there! I totally get your confusion - there's so much misinformation floating around about benefit dates, especially around the holidays. Just to echo what everyone else has said, December 18th is definitely not correct for either CalFresh or CalWORKs. I've been receiving both benefits for over a year now and the schedules have never changed for holidays. CalFresh always follows the case number schedule (sounds like you'd get yours on the 4th), and CalWORKs is always in the first few days. The only time I've ever seen different dates is when there are system maintenance issues, but they always notify recipients in advance through official channels. Don't let random grocery store chatter throw off your budgeting - stick with what you know!