i heard they making everyone use the new chip ebt cards soon bc of all the skimming happening. did u have the old swipe card? my friend said the chip ones r safer

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT theft is absolutely devastating, especially when you're trying to budget and plan ahead like you were doing. I went through something similar last year - thieves hit my card at a gas station in Fresno while I was in Long Beach. Here's what worked for me: 1. You did the right thing calling immediately to freeze the card 2. When you file the police report, make sure to get a case number - you'll need it for the CalFresh claim 3. Ask your caseworker about "interim assistance" while waiting for the investigation - some counties can provide temporary emergency benefits 4. Document EVERYTHING with photos of your transaction history and keep all reference numbers The waiting period is brutal, but most people do get their benefits restored. In the meantime, check with local churches and community centers too - many have emergency food programs specifically for situations like this. Stay strong, and don't let anyone make you feel bad for having savings on your card. You were being responsible by planning ahead! 💙

I'm really sorry this happened to you! I know how scary it is when you can't access your benefits, especially with kids to feed. I lost my EBT card about a year ago and here's what I wish someone had told me: Call 877-328-9677 right away to report it lost - they'll freeze your card immediately so no one can use your $340. When you call, definitely mention you have children and ask about expedited shipping. They were able to get my replacement to me in 2 days instead of the usual 5 when I explained it was a family emergency. While you're waiting, check if your county allows temporary authorized representatives - I was able to add my sister so she could buy groceries for us using my benefits until the new card arrived. You'd need to call your local CalFresh office for this option though. Also don't hesitate to reach out to local food banks or churches - many understand the CalFresh situation and can help bridge the gap without making you feel bad about it. Your benefits will absolutely still be there when you get the new card! The money doesn't disappear, just the access temporarily. Hang in there - you've got this and your kids won't go hungry!

I'm so glad to hear you were able to get through to EBT customer service and get your card deactivated! That 2-day expedited shipping is a lifesaver when you have kids to feed. I went through something similar last year and the panic is so real when you realize you can't access your benefits. One small tip for when your new card arrives - make sure you're available to sign for it or have someone trusted who can receive it, because they typically require a signature for replacement EBT cards. Also remember you'll need to set up a new PIN when you activate it. It sounds like you have a solid backup plan with the authorized representative option too. This community really is amazing for support during these stressful situations. Your kids are lucky to have such a proactive parent who knows how to ask for help when needed. Hang in there - Thursday will be here before you know it!

I don't have WIC (no kids) but good to know about the Friday market in Old Oakland! Thanks for clarifying the different program names too.

Hey Jacob! I'm new to CalFresh and just moved to the Bay Area too (from LA). This thread has been SO helpful - I had no idea about Market Match at all! I'm in San Francisco and wondering if anyone knows which farmers markets here participate? I saw mentions of Oakland and Berkeley markets but nothing about SF specifically. Also, does anyone know if the Castro Farmers Market or the one at UN Plaza do the matching program? My caseworker never mentioned any of this when I applied. It's frustrating how these programs seem like such well-kept secrets when they could really help people like us stretch our food budgets!

I'm glad you're getting some good suggestions here. One last thing to know is that even if it takes time to get the additional cards, P-EBT benefits are retroactive to the eligibility date. So when your children's cards do arrive, they should have the full benefit amount they're entitled to, including for the months you were waiting. Don't worry about losing benefits during this resolution period.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My daughter got her P-EBT card last month but my son who's in the same grade at the same school still hasn't received his. I called our school's main office and they transferred me to the district's food services coordinator who was actually really helpful. She explained that sometimes there are delays when kids have different spellings of their names in different systems (like if the school uses "Michael" but the state records show "Mike"). She was able to verify both my kids were on the submitted list and gave me a reference number to use when I contact the county office. Definitely try the district food services department - they seem to know way more about the P-EBT process than individual school secretaries!

I'm in a similar situation with my kids - last name starts with L and still waiting! It's really helpful to see everyone's experiences here. I didn't realize the cards looked so different this year or that they come in plain envelopes. I'll definitely be checking our mail more carefully and won't throw away anything that looks like junk mail. Thanks for sharing the portal link too - I'm going to check that tonight to see if there's any status update for our family. It's reassuring to know they're actually following the alphabetical order mostly, even if there are some exceptions based on school districts and counties.

I'm also waiting for my P-EBT cards and this thread has been so helpful! My kids' last name starts with N so I'm hoping we'll get ours in the next week or two based on what everyone is saying. I had no idea about the purple design or that the envelopes look like junk mail - I'll definitely be checking everything carefully. Does anyone know if the cards come with instructions on how to activate them or do you have to call a number? Also wondering if there's a way to check the balance once you get the card activated. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!