Thank you so much for checking and letting us know! I'll keep an eye on the website. At least knowing they're planning to announce something soon helps with the uncertainty.

I'm in the same boat as everyone here - been checking my P-EBT card weekly and nothing yet. My kids qualify for free lunch and we got our last payment back in October. It's really frustrating not knowing when to expect the next one, especially when you're trying to stretch your grocery budget. I've been following this thread and it sounds like we just have to wait for the state to make an official announcement. At least it's reassuring to know that the benefits are retroactive, so we're not actually losing money - just getting it in bigger chunks instead of monthly like CalFresh. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and keeping each other updated. This community has been more helpful than any of the official hotlines!

Wow, what a stressful situation! I'm so glad you were able to get it resolved quickly. This exact same thing happened to my sister a few months ago - she accidentally locked her card thinking she lost it, then panicked when she couldn't unlock it at the store. It's such a relief to know that the phone system actually works when the app fails. I'm definitely saving that customer service number in my phone now just in case. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's really helpful to know what to do if this happens to any of us!

I'm so sorry you had to go through that stress! As someone who's been on CalFresh for a while, I've learned to always keep that customer service number handy - 1-877-328-9677. The app can be really unreliable, especially during peak times. One thing that's helped me is to always test my card before doing big shopping trips, just a quick balance check to make sure everything's working. Also, don't feel embarrassed about this - it happens to more people than you'd think! Store employees see EBT issues all the time and most are very understanding. Glad you got it sorted out and your kids got their groceries!

Based on all the comments here, it seems there's no general extra benefit for October, but there are several possibilities for what your neighbor might be referring to. The most important takeaway is to make sure you're maximizing your regular benefits by reporting: 1. All allowable deductions (childcare, excess medical costs for elderly/disabled household members, child support payments) 2. Utility costs separate from rent (Standard Utility Allowance) 3. Any changes in housing costs 4. Accurate household size and income Also look into local resources that can supplement CalFresh: - Market Match programs at farmers markets - Food bank distributions - CalFresh Healthy Living workshops with incentives If you haven't had a comprehensive review of your case in a while, it's worth connecting with your worker to see if there's anything you're missing that could increase your regular benefit amount.

Just wanted to add - if you're having trouble getting through to your worker, you can also visit your local county office in person. I know it's a hassle with kids, but sometimes they can do a quick review right there and catch things you might have missed on your application. Also, if you have any medical expenses for yourself or your kids (even copays, prescriptions, or over-the-counter stuff a doctor recommended), make sure to report those too. Even small amounts can add up and potentially increase your benefits. Good luck getting this sorted out!

This is such a stressful situation! I had something similar happen with my regular CalFresh card last year. One thing I learned is that you should also file a report with your local police department for mail theft - having that police report number can actually help speed up the replacement process when you call EBT customer service. The police might not be able to do much about it, but at least it creates an official record. Also, if you have any security cameras or neighbors with cameras that might have caught someone taking mail from your box, mention that to the police too. Mail theft is a federal crime so they do take it seriously even if it doesn't always lead to arrests. I hope you get this sorted out quickly - it's so unfair that people steal from families who need these benefits!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! As someone new to navigating P-EBT, this is exactly the kind of situation I worry about. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening - I had no idea there were so many steps you could take beyond just calling the customer service line. The tip about taking a screenshot of your Informed Delivery email is brilliant, and I never would have thought to file a police report for mail theft. It's really unfortunate that this seems to be such a common problem. I'm definitely going to be extra vigilant when my family's P-EBT card is supposed to arrive. Thank you for sharing your experience and I hope you get everything sorted out quickly!

Based on everything you've shared, especially about changing from biweekly to weekly pay and the timing coinciding with your Medi-Cal update, I think we've identified some likely causes. Here's what I recommend doing: 1. Use Claimyr or keep trying to reach your caseworker 2. Ask specifically about your income calculation method in the system 3. Request they check if your payment frequency is correctly coded 4. Ask them to review any system notes from when you updated your Medi-Cal information 5. Request a written explanation of each benefit change If they can't resolve it immediately, follow the advice about requesting a state hearing. The good news is this sounds fixable, and you may be eligible for restored benefits once they correct the error.

I'm dealing with something similar but mine seems to happen around the same time each month rather than every 6 weeks. After reading through all these responses, I'm wondering if there's a widespread issue with how the system handles income calculations when people have non-standard pay schedules. @StormChaser - definitely try that Claimyr service that @Zainab Ibrahim mentioned. I've been meaning to try it myself since I can never get through either. Also, make sure to ask your caseworker to pull up your "income conversion method" in their system - that seems to be a key thing based on what @Miguel Castro said about weekly vs biweekly pay issues. One more thing - if you do get back benefits, they should include interest if the error was on their end. Don't let them shortchange you on that either!