One important thing to add: Document everything while you're trying to get this fixed. Note the date and time of your calls, take screenshots of your EBT account balance, and keep all your paperwork organized. If you need to request a state hearing later (hopefully it won't come to that), having detailed records will help your case. Also, while the minimum benefit is $20.01 currently, remember that your actual eligibility is recalculated yearly at recertification and can change if your income or household size changes. Make sure you're submitting your SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) on time to avoid any benefit interruptions.

So glad you got it sorted out! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. It's frustrating how these processing errors happen, but at least the system worked once you got through to an actual person. Definitely keep that notebook going - it's saved me so many headaches with various benefit programs over the years. And hey, even though $20.01 might seem small, every bit helps with grocery costs these days. Hope your monthly benefits start loading smoothly from here on out!

Make sure when you call or visit the county office you use the EXACT right terminology. If you just ask about "housing help" they'll say no because technically CalFresh doesn't offer housing. You need to specifically ask for "Homelessness Prevention Programs" or "Emergency Housing Assistance" or "Housing Support Program" depending on your county. And BRING DOCUMENTATION of everything - income, rent, eviction notice, all of it. The system is designed to make it difficult unfortunately.

I went through something similar a few months ago and want to add a couple things that really helped me. First, if your county has a "One-Stop" or "Integrated Service Center," that's your best bet - they handle CalFresh, housing assistance, and other programs all in one place. Second, ask about the Coordinated Entry System (CES) for housing - it's how they prioritize people for housing assistance and you can get on the list even before you're actually homeless. Also, some food banks partner with housing organizations and might have emergency rental assistance or know about local programs that aren't well advertised. The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities often have emergency funds too. Time is critical with eviction threats, so hit multiple resources at once rather than waiting to hear back from one. Good luck!

This is exactly why I always keep a written record of my balance after each grocery trip! I learned this trick from my mom who's been on benefits for years. I write down the remaining balance on the receipt or in my phone notes so I have a rough idea even when the system goes down. Obviously it's not perfect since pending transactions can affect it, but it's helped me avoid those embarrassing moments at checkout. Also, pro tip: some smaller independent grocery stores are more flexible about letting you know if your card gets declined before running the full transaction - they'll often let you remove items if needed.

Just went through this same nightmare yesterday! The system was down for almost 6 hours in my area (San Bernardino County). What helped me was going to a smaller grocery store where the cashier was really understanding - she let me try my card first with just a few items to test if it would go through before I loaded up my whole cart. Turns out the actual payment processing was working fine even though I couldn't check my balance. Also learned that some 7-Elevens have EBT balance check on their ATMs that sometimes work even when the main system is having issues. Definitely keeping a written log of my balance from now on after reading Hannah's advice - such a simple but brilliant solution!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm new to both CalFresh and CalWORKs and honestly had no idea they were separate programs on the same card. Reading about everyone's experiences with missed forms and documentation is eye-opening - it sounds like the system really doesn't make it easy to stay on top of everything. I'm going to start opening ALL my mail from the county now, even if it looks like junk. Connor, I hope your benefits get sorted out quickly! It's really stressful when you're counting on that money and it just doesn't show up. Thanks to everyone sharing their tips about keeping copies and getting receipts - I'm definitely going to remember that for when I need to submit my next round of paperwork.

This is such a valuable thread for anyone dealing with benefit issues! I'm glad you figured out what happened, Connor. Your experience really highlights how important it is to carefully review ALL mail from the county - I know it can feel overwhelming when they send so many different notices, but missing even one form can have such big consequences. For anyone reading this who might be in a similar situation, I'd also suggest setting up a simple filing system at home for benefit-related paperwork. I use just two folders - one for "action needed" and one for "completed/filed" - and it's helped me stay more organized. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops, but sharing experiences like this really helps the community navigate the system better. Hope your reinstatement goes smoothly!

btw if u ever need emergency food before ur benefits come the food banks dont ask questions. saved me last month when my car broke down and i had to use grocery $$ for repairs

Welcome to CalFresh! 🎉 Just want to add that you can also check your balance anytime by calling the number on the back of your EBT card or going to www.ebt.ca.gov - super helpful when you're at the store and not sure how much you have left. Also, don't stress if your first deposit seems to take forever - I remember checking my card like 50 times on my first deposit day lol. The anticipation is real! You've got this! 💪