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Just wanted to share my experience - I switched to EBTedge about 3 months ago after reading horror stories like these. The setup was super straightforward, took maybe 10 minutes. You'll need your current EBT card and PIN to register. The freeze feature has become second nature now - I literally freeze it the moment I walk out of any store. One tip I learned the hard way: if you're shopping at multiple stores in one trip, don't freeze between stores if they're close together. I got paranoid and kept freezing/unfreezing and the system temporarily locked me out for "suspicious activity" - had to call customer service to get it resolved. Now I just unfreeze when I start shopping and freeze when I'm completely done for the day. The peace of mind is worth it though. My benefits load on the 15th and I sleep so much better knowing my card is protected!
NebulaNomad
•This is really helpful, thank you for sharing your experience! I just downloaded the app today after reading all these comments and I'm feeling much more confident about protecting my benefits. That's a great tip about not freezing between stores on the same shopping trip - I probably would have made that same mistake. My benefits load on the 3rd so I have a couple days to get comfortable with the app before my deposit hits. Really appreciate everyone in this thread sharing their knowledge!
I can't believe I'm just learning about this EBTedge app now! I've been so worried about skimming after hearing all these stories. My sister had $450 stolen from her card last summer and it took months to get it back. I'm definitely downloading this tonight before my benefits load next week. Quick question - when you freeze the card, does it affect being able to check your balance at the store? Sometimes I need to see how much I have left while I'm shopping to make sure I don't go over. Also, has anyone tried using it at farmers markets that accept EBT? I shop there regularly and want to make sure the freeze/unfreeze works at those smaller card readers too. This thread has been so helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! It's scary how common benefit theft has become but at least now I know there's something I can do to protect myself.
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Yara Haddad
One more important tip - when you apply for CalFresh in San Diego, you'll be automatically evaluated for the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) if you don't meet certain CalFresh eligibility requirements. The income limits and benefits are similar. Also, make sure to report any housing costs like rent and utilities during your application, as these can be deducted when calculating your benefit amount - potentially giving you more food benefits each month.
Thank you! I had no idea about CFAP or that housing costs could increase my benefit amount. My rent will be $1,600/month which is a huge chunk of my income, so that's really good to know. I'll definitely make sure to include all those details on my application!
As someone who recently went through this process in San Diego, I wanted to add that you should also download the BenefitsCal mobile app once you get approved - it's really handy for checking your EBT balance and benefit status on the go. Also, if you're job hunting or have irregular income during your transition, make sure to report any income changes promptly to avoid overpayments. San Diego has several food pantries and community resources too if you need help while waiting for approval - places like Feeding San Diego have locations throughout the county. The whole process seemed overwhelming at first but it's totally manageable once you get started. Good luck with your move!
Joshua Wood
•This is such great practical advice! I hadn't thought about downloading the mobile app or looking into food pantries as a backup plan while waiting for approval. The tip about reporting income changes is especially important since I'll be starting a new job - I definitely don't want to deal with overpayment issues later. Thanks for mentioning Feeding San Diego too, I'll look into their locations. It's really reassuring to hear from someone who just went through this process successfully!
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on a totally diff note - have u tried the food banks?? they got way better stuff now than they used to. i go to the one by the methodist church and they give fresh produce n even meat sometimes. good backup plan if benefits ever get reduced.
Olivia Evans
•I haven't tried food banks before - always felt like they should be for people worse off than us. But maybe I should check them out as a backup. Do they ask for proof of income or anything?
Most food banks don't require income verification - they operate on the honor system! The one I go to just asks you to sign in with your name and how many people in your household. Some have different days for different zip codes but many are first-come-first-served. I was hesitant at first too but the volunteers are really kind and non-judgmental. With your son's food allergies, you might want to call ahead and ask if they ever get specialty items or if they can set aside allergen-free options. Worth checking out 211.org to find locations near you!
Mateo Silva
I'm really glad I found this thread because I was starting to panic about the same rumors! My mother-in-law keeps sharing scary posts on Facebook about benefit cuts and it's been keeping me up at night. Reading through everyone's responses here has been so helpful - especially the clarification from the nonprofit workers about there being no confirmed cuts right now. I think I'm going to take the advice about calling my caseworker directly to get official information instead of worrying about social media rumors. And I definitely need to look into those medical deductions for my daughter's dietary restrictions - I had no idea that was even possible! Thank you all for sharing your experiences and knowledge. This community is such a lifesaver for getting real information instead of just panic-inducing rumors.
Social media can be such a source of anxiety when it comes to benefits! I'm dealing with the same thing - my Facebook feed is full of scary posts about cuts and changes that may or may not even be real. It's so much better to get information from people who actually work with these programs or have direct experience. I'm also planning to call my worker this week to double-check everything is up to date on my case. Better to be proactive than worry! And yes, definitely look into those medical deductions - seems like a lot of us didn't know about options that could actually help our benefit amounts. Thanks for sharing your perspective, it helps to know others are going through the same worries and finding ways to get reliable information!
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Update: Just called the County office and they confirmed Bakersfield cards should start getting loaded next Tuesday! The lady said they're doing it alphabetically by last name, A-M first week and N-Z the following week. Thanks everyone for the help and information!
That's great news! Finally some concrete information. My last name starts with P so looks like I'll be waiting until the second week, but at least now I know when to expect it. Really appreciate you calling and sharing the update with everyone here!
Nia Harris
Thanks for calling and getting that update! I'm in the same boat waiting for my two kids' benefits. Quick question - did they mention anything about whether you need to do anything if you moved recently? We relocated within Bakersfield in May and I'm worried our address change might delay things. I updated it with the school district but not sure if I need to update it somewhere else for P-EBT specifically.
Ava Thompson
•Good question about the address change! From what I understand, P-EBT eligibility is tied to your child's school enrollment records, so updating with the school district should be sufficient since they're the ones who submit the eligible student lists to the state. However, if you want to be extra safe, you might want to call the P-EBT helpline at 877-328-9677 to confirm your current address is on file. I'd hate for your benefits to get delayed because of a mailing address issue, especially since some people do get new cards mailed out.
Nia Davis
Just to address the benefit amount discrepancy more specifically: For 2025, approximate CalFresh monthly maximums are: - Household of 1: $550 - Household of 4: $750 So it looks like they initially calculated you as a household of 4 (you + 3 kids) during the interview, which would be around $700-750 depending on deductions. But then they've temporarily approved you as a household of 1 while verifying the children, which matches the $550 amount they're now showing. This is actually standard procedure when they need additional verification for some household members. Once they confirm your custody arrangement, they should update your benefits to the full household amount AND provide any retroactive benefits you were entitled to. One tip: when you call, specifically ask for your case to be "expedited for household composition verification" which can sometimes speed things up.
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Luca Ferrari
•That's exactly what's happening then! $550 for just me and around $750 once they add the kids. Thank you for explaining it so clearly. I'll use that exact phrasing when I call tomorrow: "expedited for household composition verification." Really appreciate everyone's help here!
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Oscar Murphy
Hey Luca! Welcome to the CalFresh community - you're definitely not alone in feeling confused by the process. I went through something very similar when I first applied with my kids. One thing that might help while you're waiting is to keep checking your EBT balance online or through the ebtEDGE mobile app. Sometimes benefits load overnight and you won't get a notification. Also, make sure to keep your approval letter handy when you call - having your case number ready makes things go faster. Since you mentioned you're on SSDI, just wanted to mention that your disability income might affect your benefit calculation too, but it sounds like they already factored that in during your interview. The good news is that once they sort out the custody verification, you should see a nice jump in your monthly benefits! Hang in there - the initial process is always the most confusing part. Once everything gets sorted out, the monthly routine becomes much more predictable.
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