@Annie B I'm in LA County and just tried my EBT cash withdrawal this morning - worked fine for me. If you're still having issues, here are a few things that have helped me in the past: 1) Try a different bank's ATM (sometimes certain banks have connectivity issues), 2) Make sure you haven't hit your daily withdrawal limit ($1000), 3) Check if your card has any damage or the magnetic strip is worn. If it's still not working, definitely call the number on your card or visit your county office with your ID and EBT card. They can check if there's a hold on your account or if your card needs to be replaced. This community has been super helpful with EBT troubleshooting - don't hesitate to share more details about what error messages you're getting!

Im in san fernando valley and im having problems take out my ebt cash at wells fargo i went to 3 different bank atms and nothing my money says its there but i cant seem to take it out ! I went to the office and they gave me a new card but still can't cash out my money! Is anyone else having this problem ?

This thread is absolutely golden! I've been struggling with CalFresh for months and had no idea there was such a clear distinction between what the EBT customer service can help with versus county offices. I actually got stuck in that same endless phone loop last week trying to ask about a discrepancy in my benefits and now I understand why I never got anywhere. The SAR7 reminder tip is brilliant - I'm terrible at keeping track of paperwork deadlines and this could save me so much stress down the road. It's really frustrating that these crucial navigation tips aren't provided when you first get approved for benefits. Like, they should literally give you a "CalFresh 101" guide that explains which number to call for what! @bb0ad1cb2c9e thank you so much for updating us with your successful resolution - it gives the rest of us hope that these issues can actually be solved once you know the right steps. I'm going to try calling my county office tomorrow morning with my case number ready. Fingers crossed I can get through as easily as you did! This community is amazing for sharing real solutions that actually work. You're all helping families get the food assistance they desperately need!

Wow, reading through this entire thread has been both eye-opening and incredibly helpful! I'm relatively new to CalFresh and had no idea about the distinction between EBT customer service (card issues only) vs county offices (benefit questions). This is exactly the kind of information that should be clearly explained when you first get approved, but instead we all have to learn it the hard way. I'm definitely setting up calendar reminders for my SAR7 deadlines right now - the idea of benefits suddenly dropping without clear notice is terrifying when you're already struggling to make ends meet. It's also great to know about checking the BenefitsCal account online for notices that might not arrive in the mail. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and practical solutions here, especially @bb0ad1cb2c9e for the detailed update about successfully resolving the issue. This thread is going to help so many families navigate these bureaucratic challenges. It's frustrating that we have to become experts at navigating the system just to access basic food assistance, but communities like this make such a difference in sharing the knowledge we need to actually get help when we need it most!

dont forget u can also use the YourBenefitsNow! website for LA county! its older but sometimes works when BenefitsCal is down. just google it

UPDATE: I got into BenefitsCal finally! Had to create a completely new account even though I already had one. Not sure why, but at least it worked. My documents are uploaded now. Thanks everyone for your help!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - 28 days is absolutely unacceptable, especially with two kids depending on you. The system is completely broken when families have to wait this long for basic food assistance. Reading through everyone's advice here, it's clear that being strategic and persistent is unfortunately necessary. Since you're hitting day 29 tomorrow, I'd definitely recommend calling first thing and using that specific language about the "30-day federal deadline" that others mentioned. The pattern seems consistent - once you demonstrate knowledge of their legal obligations, cases suddenly get "found" and processed. Also wanted to mention that if you're in LA County, the Department of Public Social Services has a specific escalation line for cases approaching the 30-day mark: (877) 481-1044. I had to use it last year for a delayed Medi-Cal application and they actually followed up within 24 hours. The backdated benefits will definitely help once you finally get approved, but I know that doesn't make the current struggle any easier. Have you looked into WIC as well? It's a separate program with different eligibility requirements, and sometimes you can get approved faster since it's federally funded directly rather than going through county processing. Keep documenting everything and don't let them wear you down. You're doing everything right - the system is failing you, not the other way around. Really hoping tomorrow brings you the approval you deserve!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation - my CalFresh application has been pending verification review for 22 days now in Riverside County. Reading everyone's experiences and the concrete strategies you've all shared gives me hope and a real action plan if I hit that 30-day mark. @Sienna Gomez - I'm really hoping you got your approval today! Your persistence and willingness to document your experience here has been so valuable for other families going through the same struggle. The stress of waiting this long for basic food assistance while caring for kids is just unimaginable. What strikes me most about this thread is how consistent the pattern is across different counties - people wait for weeks with no progress, then suddenly when they mention legal deadlines or administrative hearings, their cases get processed within days. It really shows that the system CAN move faster when there's proper accountability, which makes the normal delays even more frustrating. I'm bookmarking all the resources and strategies mentioned here: the ombudsperson contacts, county-specific escalation lines like the LA one Fatima shared, the administrative hearing option, and that specific language about the "30-day federal processing deadline." It's unfortunate that families have to become experts in bureaucratic pressure tactics just to get basic services, but I'm grateful this community exists to share what actually works. The backdated benefits policy is at least one thing that works in applicants' favor - knowing that you'll get the full amount from your application date when finally approved helps mentally, even though it doesn't solve the immediate need. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes a real difference when navigating these broken systems!

Just wanted to add that I've been dealing with this same issue! Started having problems about a week ago when trying to check my remaining balance before grocery shopping. The website would load but then crash when I tried to log in. I found that clearing my browser cache and cookies helped sometimes - not a permanent fix but got me in once or twice. Also discovered you can text your EBT card number to 511-411 to get your balance sent back as a text message, which has been super helpful when the website is down. Really appreciate everyone sharing these workarounds and resources - this community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the county office phone system!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been having the exact same issues with BenefitsCal for the past week and was starting to panic thinking my account got suspended or something. I'm pretty new to CalFresh (just got approved last month) and wasn't sure if this was normal or a real problem. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning about the maintenance period and all the alternative ways to check balance like the text option and phone number. I had no idea there was a mobile app either! It's frustrating that they don't communicate these outages better to users, but I'm relieved to know it's temporary and that there are workarounds. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community seems way more responsive than any official support channels I've tried!