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Welcome to the community! Congrats on getting approved for CalFresh - that's a huge relief! Just to clarify what others have mentioned, the "extra" benefits your neighbor might be referring to could be several things: 1. **CalWORKs** - This is cash assistance (not food stamps) that you apply for separately. It's totally different from CalFresh but you can get both if you qualify. 2. **Summer EBT** - Since your kids are 7 and 10, if they get free school meals, they should automatically get extra food benefits during summer break. This usually shows up on a separate card. 3. **WIC** - If you have kids under 5 or are pregnant/breastfeeding, this provides additional food benefits for specific items like milk, eggs, cereal. Definitely report those after-school care costs someone mentioned - that could bump up your CalFresh amount! And don't forget to check if you're eligible for CalWORKs too since you have two kids. The application process is more intensive but the cash benefits can really help with rent and other expenses. Good luck and feel free to ask more questions - this community is super helpful!
Aisha Rahman
•This is such a comprehensive breakdown, thank you Sofia! I had no idea about WIC - unfortunately my kids are older now but good to know for the future. I'm definitely going to look into CalWORKs since multiple people have mentioned it. Do you know if there's a way to check eligibility online before going through the whole application process? I don't want to waste time if we won't qualify.
CyberNinja
Hey Ethan! Congrats on getting approved - I know how stressful that waiting period can be! Your neighbor might also be thinking of the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) if she's an immigrant who doesn't qualify for regular CalFresh, or possibly getting benefits from multiple programs stacked together. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're working and have very low income, you might qualify for the Earned Income Disregard which can help you keep more benefits even as your income goes up slightly. Also, if anyone in your household has a disability or is over 60, there are additional deductions available. Since you mentioned your kids are 7 and 10, definitely keep an eye out for the Summer EBT cards - they usually arrive in the mail around May/June if your kids qualify through their school's free lunch program. It's about $40 per month per child for the summer months. The after-school care expense someone mentioned is definitely worth reporting! That $250/month could potentially increase your monthly benefits. When you call, ask them to also review all your other expenses to make sure you're getting the maximum amount you're eligible for.
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I'm also a single household still waiting for my COLA notice! This thread has been so helpful - I was getting worried that something was wrong with my case. Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like I should expect around $22-25 increase which would be amazing. My current benefit is $216 so getting close to $240 would really help with these crazy grocery prices. I'm going to try calling that customer service number (1-877-847-3663) if I don't get my notice by Friday. It's reassuring to know they're sending them out in batches and that the increase will load automatically on October 1st even if the notice gets delayed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice!
I'm in the exact same situation! Single household here too and still anxiously waiting for my notice. This thread has been such a lifesaver - I was starting to think my case got messed up somehow. It's so reassuring to hear that everyone is getting around the same increase amounts. I'm currently getting $198/month so if I get that $22-25 increase like others, that would put me around $220-223 which would be such a huge help right now. Definitely going to try calling that customer service line if mine doesn't show up by the weekend. Thanks for sharing your current benefit amount - it helps me estimate what to expect! Hopefully we both get our notices this week!
Ava Martinez
Hey everyone! I'm a single-person household too and just wanted to say this thread has been incredibly helpful while I wait for my notice. I've been checking my BenefitsCal account and mailbox daily with no luck yet, but reading about everyone's experiences has put my mind at ease. Currently getting $185/month, so if the increase is around $22-25 like others have reported, that would bring me to around $207-210 which would be such a relief with food costs being what they are. I'm definitely going to call that customer service number (1-877-847-3663) if I don't hear anything by this weekend. Also planning to look into updating my utility costs since I moved earlier this year and my bills have definitely gone up. Thanks to everyone for sharing their amounts and experiences - it's so helpful to know we're all in the same boat waiting for these notices!
I'm so glad I found this thread too! I'm also a single household still waiting and was getting really anxious about it. Your current amount is close to mine - I'm at $179/month right now, so with the $22-25 increase everyone's reporting, I should be looking at around $201-204 which would be amazing. I love that you mentioned updating utility costs after moving - I completely forgot that could affect my benefits beyond just the COLA! I moved last fall and my electric bill has definitely gone up. Definitely going to look into reporting that change once I get my notice. It's such a relief knowing we're all in the same situation and that the notices really are just coming out in batches. Fingers crossed we all get ours this week!
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btw has anyone noticed the benefit amounts went up a bit this year? i got like $38 more this month for my family of 4 and wasnt sure if it was a mistake or if theres a cost of living increase thing?
Yes, there was a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 that took effect in October 2024. CalFresh benefits are adjusted annually based on the Thrifty Food Plan calculations. The increase varies depending on household size, but many households saw a modest increase in their monthly allotment.
Diego Chavez
I'm new to using CalFresh at farmers markets - is there a way to find out which markets in my area are having these EBT issues before I make the trip? I live pretty far from the downtown market and would hate to drive all that way just to find out the system is down. Also, when you mentioned Market Match doubling benefits, is that available at all farmers markets or just certain ones? Thanks for all the helpful info everyone is sharing here!
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Mei Liu
You can check your household composition on BenefitsCal.com if you have an account. Log in and look at your case summary - it should show all household members currently on your case. While you're there, also check if there are any electronic notices you might have missed. Sometimes they send communications through the portal without sending a paper copy.
I just checked BenefitsCal and both kids are still listed in my household. But I did find a Notice of Action in my messages that wasn't mailed! It says there was an "income change" but doesn't specify what changed. Shows my work income correctly but has an additional $425 listed as "other unearned income" - that's definitely the child support being counted wrong!
That confirms it - they're incorrectly counting your child support as income. Per CalFresh regulations (MPP Section 63-502.2), child support received is specifically excluded from countable income. When you get through to a worker, direct them to that regulation. Also, since you've found the error, you have a right to request retroactive benefits for any months you received less than you were entitled to. Make sure to specifically ask for that when they fix the error.
@Yuki Yamamoto This is exactly what happened to me 6 months ago! The county worker initially insisted child support counted as income and kept giving me the runaround. I had to escalate to a supervisor and reference that exact regulation Andre mentioned. It took 3 weeks but they finally corrected it and gave me back pay for 2 months. Don t'give up - you have the documentation now showing their error. When you call, be persistent and don t'accept that "s'just how the system works as" an answer. You ve'got this!
@Yuki Yamamoto I just went through something similar last month! My benefits got cut from $289 to $23 because they counted my tax refund as monthly income. When I finally got through took (6 phone calls over 3 days ,)the worker admitted it was a data "match error where" their system automatically flagged child support payments as unreported income. She fixed it in like 10 minutes once I explained the situation and referenced that regulation number @Andre Rousseau mentioned. They restored my full benefits retroactively and it showed up on my EBT card within 48 hours. Definitely try the Claimyr service - that s what'finally got me through to a real person. Stay strong, you ve got'all the documentation you need to prove this is their mistake!
Mei Chen
Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble getting through to your county office, you can also check the California Department of Social Services website or your county's DPSS website for updates on Summer EBT distribution dates. Some counties post their specific distribution schedules online. Also, the benefits are good for a full year from when they're issued, so don't panic if you don't get them right away - you won't lose them! My kids are also eating me out of house and home this summer break, so I totally feel everyone's pain here 😅
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Mohamed Anderson
•Thanks for sharing that info about checking the county websites! I didn't know the benefits were good for a whole year - that's actually really helpful to know. And yes, the summer eating situation is REAL! 😂 My kids act like they've never seen food before when they're home all day. At least we're all in this together!
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Isabella Silva
Thanks everyone for all this helpful info! I'm new to CalFresh and this is my first summer with kids in the program. I was getting worried because I hadn't heard anything yet, but it sounds like they're still rolling out by county. My kids just finished their first week of summer break and I'm already seeing the grocery budget take a hit! 😅 Does anyone know if there's a way to track when your specific county will distribute? I'm in Riverside County if that helps. Really appreciate this community sharing their experiences - makes navigating all this so much easier for us newcomers!
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