This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with the same issue for my daughter (last name starts with E) - should have gotten her Summer EBT card by June 15th but nothing yet. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm pretty sure it's the address issue. I moved last year and updated everything with the school and BenefitsCal, but apparently that's not enough for Summer EBT. Going to try calling my county CalFresh office first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work, I'll check out Claimyr. Thanks especially to @Ben Cooper for the update - really gives me hope that this can get resolved! It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get benefits our kids qualify for, but at least now I know what steps to take.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My son's last name starts with C and we should have gotten his Summer EBT card by May 31st according to the schedule. It's so frustrating - I've been calling that 877-328-9677 number for days but can never get through. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like the address issue is super common this year. I'm definitely going to try my county CalFresh office first like @Rosie Harper suggested, and if that doesn't work I'll check out Claimyr. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this mess! Really hoping they fix these system issues for next year because this is ridiculous.

To summarize for anyone reading this thread in the future: 1. Vehicles (owned or leased) are not counted as assets for CalFresh in any California county, including San Bernardino 2. You should report acquiring a new vehicle on your SAR7 in the changes section 3. Lease payments are considered regular expenses and don't directly impact your benefit calculation 4. Keep documentation showing the vehicle is necessary for work purposes 5. San Bernardino County follows the same state regulations as other counties, though administrative practices may vary The most important thing is to report changes accurately and timely to avoid any potential overpayment issues down the road.

As someone who recently went through a similar situation in San Bernardino County, I wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease your worries! I leased a 2024 Toyota Corolla ($315/month) about 6 months ago while receiving CalFresh benefits, and everything went smoothly. Here's what I learned: - The lease itself won't affect your CalFresh eligibility at all - I reported it on my SAR7 under the "changes in household" section and included a copy of my lease agreement - My worker asked a few basic questions about why I needed the car (I'm also a gig worker - DoorDash), but it was just routine verification - My benefits stayed exactly the same The key is being proactive about reporting it and having documentation ready. Since you drive for Instacart, definitely keep some proof of that income/work arrangement to show the car is a necessity for your job. San Bernardino County gets a reputation for being difficult, but in my experience with this specific issue, they were actually pretty straightforward once I had the proper paperwork. Good luck with your new lease - sounds like you found a great deal that will help you keep working!

nobody gonna talk about how the benefitscal app is ALWAYS down when something like this happens?? its like they do it on purpose so we cant see whats going on or get proof

update: i had the same thing happen and my benefits came back after 4 days without me doing anything. might be different for different counties tho

Make sure he doesn't throw away the food until after he submits the form!! My cousin had this happen and they asked her to take pictures of the spoiled food as proof. Also tell him to check his benifitscal account to see if they sent him any messages about it

I went through this exact situation last year when we had rolling blackouts in my area. Your son definitely qualifies for replacement benefits! A few tips from my experience: 1) Call the county office early in the morning (they're less busy), 2) Have his case number ready when he calls, 3) Ask them to email him the CF 303 form so he can fill it out ahead of time, and 4) The utility company can usually provide a power outage verification letter online or over the phone pretty quickly. In my case, they replaced the full amount I lost ($180) within about a week. Don't let him stress too much - this is exactly what the replacement program is designed for!

one time i tried using ebt for hot chocolate at the starbucks in target and it didnt work but the bottles in the grocery part worked fine with ebt so yeah prepared = no, groceries = yes

Just wanted to add that if you're looking for coffee alternatives you can buy with EBT, instant coffee, coffee beans, ground coffee, and even coffee creamers are all eligible! I get my coffee fix by buying a bag of ground coffee and some flavored creamers - way cheaper than Starbucks anyway. You can also buy tea bags, hot chocolate mix, and other drink mixes to make at home. The key is anything you have to prepare yourself at home is usually good to go with CalFresh benefits.