While ur waiting for this to get fixed try 211 for emergency food resources. They can connect u with food pantries in ur area. Also check if ur school district is still doing grab-n-go meals - some still have this from the pandemic. My kids school does free dinner pickup for any family that needs it no questions asked

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress - I've been there and it's awful. One thing that helped me was also contacting your local community action agency or United Way chapter. They often have emergency food vouchers or direct assistance programs separate from CalFresh. Also, WIC might be able to help with your younger kids if you're not already enrolled - they serve families with children under 5 and the income limits are higher than CalFresh. Some churches also do "blessing boxes" or community fridges where you can grab groceries without paperwork. Hang in there - this is fixable but I know waiting is the hardest part when you have little ones to feed.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I feel so much better about applying now. I'm going to submit my application this weekend and make sure to only include our necessary expenses. Really appreciate all the information and personal experiences shared here.

Good luck with your application! Just wanted to add one more helpful tip - if you run into any issues during the application process or have questions about specific documents needed, most counties also have community-based organizations that can help with CalFresh applications for free. They're often more knowledgeable about immigration-related concerns than the regular county staff. You can usually find them by searching "[your county name] CalFresh application assistance" or calling 211. It's great to see you taking this step to help feed your family!

I wanted to add one more thing - when you talk to the school district, ask specifically about their "direct certification" system. This is what they use to identify students eligible for free/reduced meals, which is what P-EBT is based on. Sometimes there are errors in how that information is transmitted to the state. Also, P-EBT cards for different age groups sometimes get sent out in different batches. So it's possible your younger kids' cards are still coming in a later mailing. The address issue is still worth fixing, but I wouldn't panic just yet about the missing cards.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Just wanted to add that if you have any older P-EBT cards from previous years that worked fine, keep those handy when you call. Sometimes the customer service reps can reference the address from those older cards to help verify your identity, even if they can't tell you what address is currently in their system. Also, I found it helpful to keep a detailed log of every call I made (date, time, representative name if they give it, and what they told me). When I finally got someone who could help, having that record made it easier to explain all the steps I'd already tried. The whole system is definitely frustrating, but don't give up - your kids deserve those benefits!

just fyi the ebt customer service number is different from the county office. u need 2 call the actual county calfresh office not just the ebt card number

I work at a legal aid office and see cases like this regularly. You're doing the right thing by not using the card and calling immediately. One thing I'd add - if you can't get through to your county office by phone, many counties also accept reports through their online portals or you can visit in person. Some counties even have secure email addresses for reporting benefit discrepancies. Also, keep that card in a safe place - don't destroy it even after this gets resolved, as they may need the card number for their investigation. Document everything with dates and times, and if possible, get a case number when you report this so you can reference it in future calls.

Thanks for posting this confirmation! I've been wondering about this for weeks. My neighbor kept insisting that her friend's sister heard there would be more P-EBT payments coming, but I had a feeling the program was really done. It's frustrating that there wasn't better communication about the end date, but at least now I can stop checking my kids' cards every few days. Really appreciate everyone sharing info about the Summer EBT program too - that's the first I've heard about it and it sounds like it could be a real help during those long summer months when the kids are home all day.

I'm so glad you posted this! I've been in the same boat - checking my kids' P-EBT cards obsessively and getting more frustrated each time there was nothing new. It's such a relief to finally have official confirmation that the program is actually over instead of wondering if I missed something or if there was a system glitch. The lack of clear communication from the state was really stressful for families who were depending on those benefits. At least now I can focus my energy on making sure I'm signed up for all the other programs that are still available, like making sure my CalFresh stays current and looking into that Summer EBT program that others mentioned. Thanks for doing the legwork to get a straight answer!