Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'll definitely keep my kids' old P-EBT cards just in case, but now I know to watch for new P-EBT 4.0 cards coming hopefully this spring/summer. I'm going to double-check with the school that they have our current address too. This has been really helpful!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - got P-EBT 3.0 cards for my two kids last year but wasn't sure what to expect with 4.0. One thing I wanted to add for anyone reading this: if you moved during the school year, make sure to update your address with BOTH your old school district AND your new one. I learned this the hard way when we moved mid-year and almost missed out on benefits because there was confusion about which district was responsible for issuing our cards. Also, keep all your P-EBT cards even if they're at zero balance - I've heard of people getting surprise deposits months later for missed benefits. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress! As a newcomer to this community, I'm learning a lot from reading everyone's experiences. It sounds like you got great advice and I'm relieved to see your update that it's getting resolved. I'm keeping this thread saved for reference since I'm still pretty new to navigating CalFresh myself. The tip about Claimyr seems really useful - I had no idea services like that existed. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here, it's so helpful for those of us who are still learning the system!

I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved, Clarissa! As someone who's been through similar CalFresh issues, I can totally relate to that panic when your card suddenly stops working and you have a family to feed. It's really frustrating how these system glitches happen during routine updates, but at least now you know what to do if it ever happens again. The Claimyr service sounds like a lifesaver - I'm definitely bookmarking that for future reference. Thanks for sharing your experience and the solution, it's going to help so many other families who might face this same issue. Hope everything goes smoothly when you pick up your emergency card tomorrow!

UPDATE: I followed the advice here and it's starting to work! Called EBT customer service with the right terminology and they immediately knew what to do about the theft claim. Then I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through to a supervisor at my county office. The supervisor confirmed there was an error in my income reporting - apparently during my last recertification, they accidentally entered my previous employer's QUARTERLY tax reporting as my MONTHLY income! No wonder it was showing $3,700! She said she's correcting it right away and will process an underpayment claim since I've been receiving reduced benefits due to their error. Thank you everyone for the help!

So glad to see your update! This is exactly why I always tell people to escalate to supervisors - frontline workers often don't have the full picture or authority to make corrections. The quarterly vs monthly income mix-up is unfortunately super common, especially after recertifications. For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues: Dylan's experience shows why it's crucial to 1) use the specific terminology mentioned by QuantumQuasar, 2) escalate to supervisors when needed, and 3) don't give up! The system has problems but there are people who can and will help when you reach the right person. Dylan - definitely follow up on that underpayment claim timeline. In my experience, those can take 30-45 days to process, so don't panic if it doesn't show up immediately. Keep checking your EBT balance and BenefitsCal for updates!

Hey @Savanna Franklin, I went through something similar last year and it was so stressful! A few things that helped me: 1) Go to your county office in person if possible - sometimes that gets faster results than calling. 2) Bring a copy of your application confirmation and any documentation you submitted. 3) Ask specifically about your interview date and mention you haven't received any notices. They can usually look up your case right there and tell you what's happening. Some counties are way behind on mailing notices but they can schedule your interview on the spot. Also definitely turn off that spam call blocking like Amy suggested - that was probably the issue! Good luck and don't give up!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - applied 2.5 weeks ago and crickets! What's really frustrating is that food costs have gone up so much that every day waiting makes things worse. One thing I learned from my neighbor who works at social services is that you can also try reaching out to your county supervisor's office if you're not getting responses from the CalFresh office directly. They sometimes have staff who can help cut through the red tape. Also, if you have any local food banks or community organizations nearby, they might have advocates who know the system better and can help you navigate it while you're waiting. Don't feel bad about being proactive - you have every right to know what's happening with your application!

Just want to echo what others have said about NOT using those benefits - your brother is absolutely right to be cautious! I work in benefits administration (not CalFresh specifically, but similar programs) and this kind of processing delay is unfortunately super common. The key thing is that eligibility is determined based on actual circumstances, not just what the computer system shows. Since he's earning $3,600/month and properly reported it, using those benefits could definitely result in an overpayment claim later. The voluntary repayment option that Giovanni mentioned is definitely the way to go - it shows good faith effort to resolve the issue and typically results in better treatment if there are any future interactions with the program. Document everything and keep trying to reach someone at the county office!

I had a very similar situation happen to me about 6 months ago! Called to cancel my CalFresh when I got a new job, worker said it would be processed immediately, but then I kept getting deposits for 2 more months. I was so stressed about it because I didn't want to get in trouble, but I also wasn't sure if I should use the money or not. I ended up doing exactly what everyone here is recommending - called back multiple times until I got someone who knew about the voluntary repayment process. It took about 3 weeks to fully resolve, but they were able to remove the benefits from my case without any overpayment penalties. The most important thing I learned is that you have to be persistent with calling back because not all the workers know about this option. Your brother is smart to handle this proactively - it's so much easier to deal with upfront than trying to fight an overpayment claim later!