Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
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Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
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- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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So glad everything worked out for you! This is such a common confusion - the SAR7 form can make it seem like you need to report every little thing when really they only want major changes. I made a similar mistake my first year on CalFresh by reporting a $25 gift card my mom gave me for my birthday 🤦♀️ Your experience is actually really helpful for other people who might be overthinking their reporting requirements. And thanks for sharing how Claimyr worked for you - I've been seeing more people mention it lately as a way to actually reach county workers when the phone lines are impossible.
This is such a perfect example of how confusing the CalFresh system can be for people trying to do the right thing! I'm a newcomer here but I've been on CalFresh for about 6 months and I made similar mistakes early on - I reported my library card renewal and even a free bus pass I got through a community program because I thought "changes in resources" meant literally ANY change. What I've learned is that they really only care about things that affect your financial situation in a meaningful way. Discounts, memberships, and small perks are not what they're looking for. It's great that you got it sorted out and your benefits are back on track! Also really helpful to know about Claimyr - I've been struggling to reach my worker too and didn't know this service existed. Definitely bookmarking that for future reference. Thanks for sharing your experience and the resolution!
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Also make sure your income is under the IRT (Income Reporting Threshold) or they'll cut you off! For a household of 3 in 2025 it's around $3,700 I think. Did you make more than your IRT in any month?
No, my income has been pretty consistent at about $2,100-2,400 monthly after business expenses. Nowhere near the IRT. That's why I'm confused about the delay.
I'm a newcomer here but dealing with something similar! I'm self-employed doing home tutoring and my recertification has been pending for almost a month now. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - I didn't know about the 30-day processing timeframe or that I could request expedited services if my benefits expire. I've been panicking thinking I'd have to start over. Going to try sending a message through BenefitsCal today and document everything like Anastasia suggested. It's reassuring to know this delay is somewhat normal for self-employment cases, even though it's stressful when you have kids depending on these benefits.
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Just an update on my situation - I finally got through this morning by calling right at 8am. Waited 25 minutes but finally talked to someone. Turns out they implemented some new verification system in January that flagged a bunch of accounts for "review" but they're behind on processing them. The worker manually pushed mine through. You should ask if yours got caught in the same verification backlog.
I appreciate the update! This gives me hope. I'll definitely ask about the verification backlog when I get through. Sounds like that might be exactly what happened to mine too.
I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! My benefits were supposed to load on the 15th but nothing came through. I've been calling that same number for days with no luck. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like there's a widespread problem with their new verification system. I'm going to try calling at 8am tomorrow and also look into that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it's frustrating but at least I know I'm not alone in this. @Emily Nguyen-Smith I hope you get your benefits sorted out soon, especially with kids to feed. This system is broken and they need to fix it ASAP.
@Max Knight Thanks for the support! It really does help to know we re'not alone in this mess. I actually just got off the phone - tried the 8am strategy this morning and it worked! Waited about 40 minutes but finally got through. Turns out my case was indeed caught in that verification backlog everyone s'been talking about. The worker was able to manually release my benefits and said they should show up within 24-48 hours. She also mentioned they re'working on fixing the system issues but didn t'give a timeline. Definitely try calling right at 8am sharp - seems like that s'the sweet spot before the lines get completely jammed. Good luck and I hope you get yours resolved quickly too!
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Thank you everyone for the info! Sounds like there's no extra coming (bummer but good to know). I checked my case number and the last digit is 7, so I'll get September benefits on the 7th. Really helps with my planning. And no, I don't have school kids so guess I won't get that summer program either. I'll just have to stretch what I get even further this month.
Hey Kingston! I totally get the tight budget struggle - food prices are absolutely crazy right now. Since you're getting benefits on the 7th, you might want to check out some of the local food banks in your area to help stretch things until then. Many don't require any paperwork and can really help fill the gaps. Also, if you shop at stores that accept EBT, try to look for manager's specials on meat and produce - you can often find good deals and freeze what you can't use right away. Hang in there!
Great suggestions! I'd also recommend downloading apps like Flashfood or Too Good To Go - they show discounted groceries and prepared foods that are close to expiration. Some stores mark down produce and bakery items by 50% or more in the evenings. Also check if your county has a Double Up Food Bucks program where they match your EBT dollars when you buy fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. Every little bit helps when you're stretching benefits!
Aria Park
This is such a relief to read! I'm a new CalFresh recipient in Orange County and was having the exact same panic when my pending deposit didn't show up yesterday. I'm still learning how all this works and thought maybe I did something wrong with my paperwork. It's frustrating that the app is so unreliable - when you're depending on these benefits to feed your family, every little glitch feels like a crisis. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, it really helps newcomers like me understand that these technical issues are normal (even if they shouldn't be!).
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MidnightRider
•Welcome to the CalFresh community! I totally understand that panic feeling - I've been receiving benefits for about 6 months now and I STILL get anxious when the app doesn't work properly. You're definitely not alone in feeling like every glitch is a crisis when you're relying on these benefits. The learning curve is real, but this community has been so helpful for figuring out what's normal vs. what's actually a problem. Glad your benefits came through okay!
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Natasha Volkova
I'm new to CalFresh too and this thread is so helpful! I'm in Riverside County and was literally about to drive to the county office tomorrow because I thought my case got closed when the pending deposit didn't show. It's crazy how much stress these app glitches cause when you're already dealing with food insecurity. I wish they would at least put up a notice in the app when they're having technical issues so we know it's not our benefits being cut off. Thanks everyone for sharing - it's good to know this is a known issue and not something I messed up!
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