I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Got my EBT card yesterday and called to check - completely empty. It's so nerve-wracking when you're planning your grocery budget around those benefits. Reading all these responses is making me feel so much better though. Sounds like this delay between card arrival and benefit loading is totally normal, even if it's super frustrating. I'm going to try calling the EBT customer service line tomorrow morning to see if they can confirm my benefits are "pending" like Diego suggested. Really wish they would update those approval letters to warn people about this timing issue! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm a new CalFresh recipient and was wondering about this exact timing issue. My card should be arriving any day now and I was expecting the benefits to be available immediately based on the approval letter. It's really good to know that there's usually a 1-3 day delay after receiving the card before benefits actually load. I'll make sure to plan my grocery shopping accordingly and not panic if the balance shows zero at first. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of real-world info is so much more useful than the official letters that don't explain these details!

Quick update on timelines from my experience: CARE/FERA approval usually takes 1-2 weeks and is applied to your next bill. LIHEAP can take 4-6 weeks but they can expedite in emergency situations, especially with disconnection notices. Also, since you mentioned having children, check if you qualify for CalWORKs - unlike CalFresh, they do offer limited assistance with utility emergencies through their emergency assistance programs. Worth looking into if you meet the income requirements.

Another resource to check out is your local Salvation Army and Catholic Charities - they often have emergency utility assistance funds that can be processed much faster than government programs. I've seen them help people within 24-48 hours in crisis situations. Also, if you're a veteran or have a veteran in your household, there are specific utility assistance programs through organizations like Veterans Community Living Centers that work really quickly. And don't forget to ask PG&E about their budget billing program once you get through this crisis - it spreads your annual costs over 12 equal payments so you don't get these shocking high winter bills. Hang in there, you've got this!

I went through something very similar last year! Turns out my case had been accidentally flagged as "requiring supervisor approval" for benefit issuance, which meant every month someone with higher clearance had to manually authorize the loading. The regular workers couldn't see this flag in their system view, which is why they kept giving me vague answers. What finally worked for me was going to the office with printed screenshots of my BenefitsCal account showing my approved benefit amount, along with a written timeline of every month I had to call. I asked to speak with the eligibility supervisor (not just any supervisor) and showed them the pattern. They were able to remove the flag that same day. Also, if you have to keep calling, ask them to put a note in your case file each time explaining that manual loading was required. This creates documentation of the ongoing problem that supervisors can reference. Good luck - don't give up pushing for a permanent fix!

This is such a frustrating situation and unfortunately way too common! I've been dealing with CalFresh issues for years and what you're describing sounds like a system coding problem that only someone with administrative access can fix. A few things that might help while you're fighting this battle: 1. When you call on Monday, specifically ask them to check if your case is coded as "active" or if there are any authorization holds 2. Request they document EVERY call you make about this issue in your case notes 3. Ask for the direct number to your county's CalFresh program manager - sometimes bypassing the regular worker queue gets better results For immediate help this weekend, some food banks don't require advance registration and can help bridge the gap. Also, if you have kids under 18, check if your area has any weekend meal programs through schools or community centers. The fact that this has happened 4 months in a row is definitely grounds for a formal complaint. Don't let them brush this off as a minor glitch - your family shouldn't have to go hungry because of their system failures. Keep pushing for a permanent solution!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the helpful information! I reported my rent and utility increases to the county yesterday and they said my benefits might increase next month. Much better than waiting for a stimulus that doesn't exist! 😊

As a newcomer here, I really appreciate this thorough discussion! I was about to fall for one of those misleading articles myself. It's so helpful to see experienced community members clarifying these myths. I'm curious though - for those of us who are struggling with rising food costs, are there any other California-specific programs we should know about besides CFAP? I keep hearing about different county-level assistance but it's hard to know what's legitimate vs what's outdated information online.

my sister works for the county and she says they r SUPER behind right now cuz of staff shortages so thats probs why ur waiting so long

UPDATE: I went to the county office this morning and waited about 2 hours, but it was worth it! Turns out they had been trying to call me for an interview but the number in their system (not BenefitsCal) was wrong - they had transposed two digits. The worker did my interview right there and approved me on the spot since I had all my documents with me. She said my EBT card should arrive in 7-10 days and my benefits will be available as soon as I activate it! So relieved!