California CalFresh
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- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
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- Redial until on hold
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- DO post questions about your issues.
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- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
CalFresh benefits suddenly stopped - emergency food options while waiting for reinstatement?
My CalFresh just got cut off without any warning last week. I checked my EBT card balance this morning and it's completely empty. I was supposed to get my benefits loaded yesterday ($345 for a single-person household). I didn't receive any discontinuance notice in the mail or on my BenefitsCal account. I'm literally sitting here with an empty fridge and no money until payday next Friday. Does anyone know if there's a way to get emergency assistance when your benefits suddenly stop? Or how to get them turned back on quickly? I tried calling the county office but got stuck in the automated system for 40 minutes before giving up. Feeling desperate and really hungry right now.
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Can reporting rent increase improve my $72 CalFresh benefits? Single household struggling
I'm at the end of my rope with these tiny benefits. Been getting $72/month in CalFresh for just me, and my landlord just hit me with a $175 rent increase starting next month. I'm barely making it as is! Would reporting this rent increase to my caseworker actually help increase my benefits? Or is it not worth the hassle? Has anyone had success getting their benefits adjusted mid-certification period because of housing cost changes? Just trying to figure out if I should bother calling and sitting on hold forever or just wait until my next SAR7.
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UPDATE: I finally got through to a worker yesterday! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned here and it worked pretty well. The worker said I should definitely get an increase since my rent is now over 60% of my income. She said it could go up by around $45-60 per month! They're processing it now and I should get a letter in the mail with the new amount in 7-10 days. Thanks everyone for pushing me to report it - definitely worth the effort!
That's awesome! So glad it worked out for you! That extra $45-60 will definitely help with groceries. Thanks for coming back to update us - it's always good to hear success stories with CalFresh.
Congrats on getting through and getting that increase approved! That's such great news. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation - this is a perfect example of why it's worth reporting housing cost changes even if it seems like a hassle. The system is designed to account for these kinds of life changes, and that extra $45-60/month can really make a difference when you're stretching every dollar. Thanks for sharing your success story - it gives hope to others dealing with the same struggle!
EBT card suddenly cancelled with benefits still on it - second time in 4 months!!
I'm so frustrated right now! Just got home from the grocery store where my EBT card was declined. Called the number on the back and apparently my card has been CANCELLED! I literally just got this replacement card 4 months ago after my last one mysteriously stopped working. I have over $340 in CalFresh benefits sitting on that card that my kids and I need for food this week. Has anyone else experienced this? Do I have to wait another 7-10 business days for a new card? Is this happening to everyone or just me getting unlucky twice? The automated system didn't give me any explanation for why it was cancelled.
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This whole situation is such a mess but I'm glad we're all sharing info to help each other out! For anyone still dealing with this - I just wanted to add that if you're having trouble getting through to the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677), try calling early in the morning around 8am or later in the evening after 6pm. The wait times are usually shorter then. Also, if you have multiple people in your household affected, you can have each person call separately to try to get through faster. The system allows one replacement request per person per incident. Hang in there everyone - this shouldn't be happening to us but at least we can support each other through it!
This is exactly what I've been dealing with! My card got cancelled two weeks ago and I'm still waiting for the replacement. I called the EBT line multiple times but kept getting disconnected. Finally went to my county office yesterday and they told me about the security breach - wish they had communicated this better from the start! I'm a single mom with two kids and it's been really tough stretching what little food we had left. Thank you everyone for sharing these tips, especially about calling early morning or evening. Going to try calling again tomorrow at 8am and mention the security breach specifically. It's frustrating that we have to figure this out ourselves when the system should be helping us, but I'm grateful for this community support!
I'm so sorry you're going through this too! It's really frustrating that they didn't notify anyone about the security breach upfront. I hope calling at 8am works better for you - that's a great tip from Diego. If you're still having trouble getting through, you might also want to try what Carmen mentioned about using Claimyr to hold your place in the phone queue. And definitely don't hesitate to reach out to your local food bank while you're waiting - as a single mom, you shouldn't have to stretch what little food you have because of their system issues. We're all in this together and hopefully they'll improve their communication for future situations like this!
When do CalFresh benefits load onto EBT card each month?
Really confused about my CalFresh benefit deposit schedule. I thought benefits were supposed to load on the 10th of every month but my neighbor said she gets hers on a different day. Does anyone know the actual schedule when future benefits get deposited on the EBT card? My case number ends in 7 if that matters. Been waiting for days and my kids are getting hungry. Usually the money is there by now but nothing this month.
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Thanks everyone for the help! Mystery solved - turns out my benefits DO come on the 7th of each month since my case number ends in 7. I checked my EBT account and the money was already there, I just didn't notice. Feeling silly but relieved. Will mark the 7th on my calendar from now on!
Don't feel silly! The system isn't very intuitive and they don't explain it well when you sign up. Just make sure you also mark your SAR7 and recertification deadlines on your calendar too - those are even more important to track!
Glad you got it figured out! This is such a common confusion and honestly the state should do a better job explaining this upfront. Pro tip: if you ever need to budget around your CalFresh benefits, knowing that the 7th is your day makes meal planning so much easier. You can also set up text alerts through the EBT app to get notified when your benefits are loaded each month. That way you don't have to remember to check manually!
Can I pick up a replacement EBT card same-day at Fresno County DSS office?
My EBT card just got stolen yesterday (wallet taken at the bus stop) and I need to buy groceries ASAP. I reported it stolen through the EBT customer service line and they said a new one would be mailed but could take 7-10 days. I'm completely out of food and can't wait that long. Does anyone know if I can just go directly to the Fresno County office on E. California Ave to get a replacement card today? Their phone line just keeps disconnecting me when I try to ask. If I go in person, what documents do I need to bring? Really stressed about feeding my kids this week.
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I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago in Fresno. Here's what I learned that might help: The office opens at 8am, but people start lining up outside around 7:30am. If you get there right when they open, you'll be done by 9am. Also, they have a specific window just for EBT card replacements - it's Window 3 on the right side when you walk in. Don't get in the general assistance line by mistake like I did! And one more tip - they can look up your case with just your SSN if you forgot your case number. The staff there was actually really helpful once I got to the right window. You've got this!
StarSailor
Just a final update - my benefits were loaded this morning! Full amount plus the retroactive payment for the missed month. And I set up text alerts for ANY new notices in my BenefitsCal account. Thanks again everyone for your help when I was in crisis mode.
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Connor O'Neill
So glad u got it fixed! The system sucks sometimes but at least u got ur money back. Make sure u never miss that SAR7 deadline either, thats another way they try to kick ppl off!
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Clay blendedgen
So happy to hear you got your benefits restored! This thread is super helpful - I'm bookmarking it in case I ever run into this issue. The Claimyr service sounds like a game changer for actually getting through to someone who can help. I had no idea about setting up text alerts in BenefitsCal either, definitely going to check my notification settings now. Thanks for sharing your experience and keeping us updated!
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