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on a totally diff note - have u tried the food banks?? they got way better stuff now than they used to. i go to the one by the methodist church and they give fresh produce n even meat sometimes. good backup plan if benefits ever get reduced.
Olivia Evans
•I haven't tried food banks before - always felt like they should be for people worse off than us. But maybe I should check them out as a backup. Do they ask for proof of income or anything?
Most food banks don't require income verification - they operate on the honor system! The one I go to just asks you to sign in with your name and how many people in your household. Some have different days for different zip codes but many are first-come-first-served. I was hesitant at first too but the volunteers are really kind and non-judgmental. With your son's food allergies, you might want to call ahead and ask if they ever get specialty items or if they can set aside allergen-free options. Worth checking out 211.org to find locations near you!
Mateo Silva
I'm really glad I found this thread because I was starting to panic about the same rumors! My mother-in-law keeps sharing scary posts on Facebook about benefit cuts and it's been keeping me up at night. Reading through everyone's responses here has been so helpful - especially the clarification from the nonprofit workers about there being no confirmed cuts right now. I think I'm going to take the advice about calling my caseworker directly to get official information instead of worrying about social media rumors. And I definitely need to look into those medical deductions for my daughter's dietary restrictions - I had no idea that was even possible! Thank you all for sharing your experiences and knowledge. This community is such a lifesaver for getting real information instead of just panic-inducing rumors.
Social media can be such a source of anxiety when it comes to benefits! I'm dealing with the same thing - my Facebook feed is full of scary posts about cuts and changes that may or may not even be real. It's so much better to get information from people who actually work with these programs or have direct experience. I'm also planning to call my worker this week to double-check everything is up to date on my case. Better to be proactive than worry! And yes, definitely look into those medical deductions - seems like a lot of us didn't know about options that could actually help our benefit amounts. Thanks for sharing your perspective, it helps to know others are going through the same worries and finding ways to get reliable information!
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Update: Just called the County office and they confirmed Bakersfield cards should start getting loaded next Tuesday! The lady said they're doing it alphabetically by last name, A-M first week and N-Z the following week. Thanks everyone for the help and information!
That's great news! Finally some concrete information. My last name starts with P so looks like I'll be waiting until the second week, but at least now I know when to expect it. Really appreciate you calling and sharing the update with everyone here!
Nia Harris
Thanks for calling and getting that update! I'm in the same boat waiting for my two kids' benefits. Quick question - did they mention anything about whether you need to do anything if you moved recently? We relocated within Bakersfield in May and I'm worried our address change might delay things. I updated it with the school district but not sure if I need to update it somewhere else for P-EBT specifically.
Ava Thompson
•Good question about the address change! From what I understand, P-EBT eligibility is tied to your child's school enrollment records, so updating with the school district should be sufficient since they're the ones who submit the eligible student lists to the state. However, if you want to be extra safe, you might want to call the P-EBT helpline at 877-328-9677 to confirm your current address is on file. I'd hate for your benefits to get delayed because of a mailing address issue, especially since some people do get new cards mailed out.
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Yara Haddad
One more important tip - when you apply for CalFresh in San Diego, you'll be automatically evaluated for the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) if you don't meet certain CalFresh eligibility requirements. The income limits and benefits are similar. Also, make sure to report any housing costs like rent and utilities during your application, as these can be deducted when calculating your benefit amount - potentially giving you more food benefits each month.
Thank you! I had no idea about CFAP or that housing costs could increase my benefit amount. My rent will be $1,600/month which is a huge chunk of my income, so that's really good to know. I'll definitely make sure to include all those details on my application!
As someone who recently went through this process in San Diego, I wanted to add that you should also download the BenefitsCal mobile app once you get approved - it's really handy for checking your EBT balance and benefit status on the go. Also, if you're job hunting or have irregular income during your transition, make sure to report any income changes promptly to avoid overpayments. San Diego has several food pantries and community resources too if you need help while waiting for approval - places like Feeding San Diego have locations throughout the county. The whole process seemed overwhelming at first but it's totally manageable once you get started. Good luck with your move!
Joshua Wood
•This is such great practical advice! I hadn't thought about downloading the mobile app or looking into food pantries as a backup plan while waiting for approval. The tip about reporting income changes is especially important since I'll be starting a new job - I definitely don't want to deal with overpayment issues later. Thanks for mentioning Feeding San Diego too, I'll look into their locations. It's really reassuring to hear from someone who just went through this process successfully!
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I'm also waiting for my SUN Bucks card with last name starting with 'S'! My kids are in elementary school (2nd and 4th grade) and we're in Fresno County. Based on what everyone's shared about the elementary age priority within each letter group, I'm hoping ours arrives soon since Lia already got hers. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there was a separate hotline or that distribution was this complex. I'll definitely wait until August 5th before calling like others have suggested. It's such a relief to know we're not the only ones still waiting and that the August 2nd timeline seems accurate for most S families. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and keeping us updated!
Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and also waiting for my SUN Bucks card with a last name starting with 'S'. My daughter is in kindergarten and we're in Los Angeles County. Reading through all these comments has been so reassuring - I was starting to panic thinking we missed something or did the application wrong! It's really helpful to understand the alphabetical distribution and age prioritization system. I had no idea there was a separate Summer EBT hotline either. Since my daughter is in elementary school like yours, I'm hoping we'll both get our cards soon since some S families are already receiving theirs. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed information and experiences - this thread is a lifesaver for newcomers like me who don't know how these programs work!
I'm also waiting for my SUN Bucks card with a last name starting with 'S'! My twin boys are in 1st grade and we're in San Bernardino County. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the alphabetical distribution system or that there was age-based prioritization within each letter group. I was getting worried since it's already July 30th, but after reading everyone's experiences I feel much better about waiting until August 5th before calling. It's especially encouraging to see that some S families like Lia are starting to receive their cards, and knowing that elementary kids get priority makes me hopeful ours will arrive soon. Thank you to everyone who shared the Summer EBT hotline number and all the detailed information about how this program works - as a newcomer to CalFresh benefits, I really appreciate this community's knowledge and support!
Noah Torres
•Welcome to the community! It's great to see so many S families connecting here. Since your twins are in 1st grade, you should definitely be in that priority group for elementary students that Noah mentioned. I'm also new to CalFresh and this whole SUN Bucks program, and this thread has been such a goldmine of information! It's reassuring to know we're all in the same boat waiting for our cards. Fingers crossed we all get them soon - the back-to-school shopping season is definitely approaching fast. Thanks for sharing your situation too, it helps to know other families are experiencing the same timeline!
PixelPrincess
Just wanted to share my experience - I switched to EBTedge about 3 months ago after reading horror stories like these. The setup was super straightforward, took maybe 10 minutes. You'll need your current EBT card and PIN to register. The freeze feature has become second nature now - I literally freeze it the moment I walk out of any store. One tip I learned the hard way: if you're shopping at multiple stores in one trip, don't freeze between stores if they're close together. I got paranoid and kept freezing/unfreezing and the system temporarily locked me out for "suspicious activity" - had to call customer service to get it resolved. Now I just unfreeze when I start shopping and freeze when I'm completely done for the day. The peace of mind is worth it though. My benefits load on the 15th and I sleep so much better knowing my card is protected!
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NebulaNomad
•This is really helpful, thank you for sharing your experience! I just downloaded the app today after reading all these comments and I'm feeling much more confident about protecting my benefits. That's a great tip about not freezing between stores on the same shopping trip - I probably would have made that same mistake. My benefits load on the 3rd so I have a couple days to get comfortable with the app before my deposit hits. Really appreciate everyone in this thread sharing their knowledge!
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Eleanor Foster
I can't believe I'm just learning about this EBTedge app now! I've been so worried about skimming after hearing all these stories. My sister had $450 stolen from her card last summer and it took months to get it back. I'm definitely downloading this tonight before my benefits load next week. Quick question - when you freeze the card, does it affect being able to check your balance at the store? Sometimes I need to see how much I have left while I'm shopping to make sure I don't go over. Also, has anyone tried using it at farmers markets that accept EBT? I shop there regularly and want to make sure the freeze/unfreeze works at those smaller card readers too. This thread has been so helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! It's scary how common benefit theft has become but at least now I know there's something I can do to protect myself.
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