i dont understand why they cant just put all the benifits on the same card!! i have a calfresh ebt card and a p-ebt card and now i got another card for the summer ebt program! its so confusing keepin track of all these different balances and cards!

For anyone wondering about eligibility: Your child must attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program AND must either: 1. Be approved for free/reduced meals through an application, OR 2. Attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school where all students get free meals, OR 3. Attend a Provision 2/3 school during the designated years Also, a quick note about the cards - if you got a P-EBT card for previous issuances (1.0-3.0), keep it! They'll reload the same card for 4.0. If you've lost your card, request a replacement NOW before the benefits are issued by calling the EBT Customer Service line at 877-328-9677.

I'm confused about this whole SAR7 thing too...is that the same as recertification? I got a packet in the mail but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to fill it out or wait for recertification. Does everybody have to do the SAR7?

I called the county office today and finally got through after trying several times. They updated my information to include the childcare expenses! The worker said my benefits will increase starting next month by about $175. I'm so glad I asked here instead of just assuming what my neighbor said about extra benefits. The childcare deduction is actually going to help way more in the long run. Thank you everyone for your help!

does anyone know if p-ebt benefits expire? found old card from 2023 and wondering if money still on there??

I went through this exact same situation last year! When I moved, I updated my address with CalFresh immediately but forgot to update it with the school district. My P-EBT card ended up going to my old address and it was such a hassle to get it sorted out. The key thing is that P-EBT primarily pulls address info from the school system, not CalFresh. Since you updated both places, you should be in good shape! But definitely call that P-EBT hotline number that Sean mentioned (877-328-9677) just to double-check. When I called, they were able to confirm my kids were in the system and verify the address they had on file. Also, keep an eye on your mail around the time they're supposed to be distributed. If it doesn't show up within a week or two of when other families in your area are getting theirs, call immediately. The sooner you catch any address issues, the easier they are to fix. Good luck!

Just wanted to share my experience as another family still waiting! We're the Martinez family in Orange County and haven't received our Summer 2025 P-EBT cards yet either. My kids are in Anaheim City School District and qualify for free lunch. I called the P-EBT hotline yesterday (877-328-9677) and after waiting about 90 minutes, the representative told me that Orange County is running about 2-3 weeks behind the original schedule due to processing delays. She said our cards should arrive by the end of July. It's frustrating but at least I got a timeline! For those of you in LA County, it might be worth calling to see if there are similar delays in your area. The rep also mentioned that if you don't receive your card by August 1st, you should definitely call back to report it as potentially lost in the mail.

I'm in a similar situation with my family - last name starts with B (Bailey) and we're in San Bernardino County. Still haven't received our Summer 2025 P-EBT cards either, even though my kids qualify through their school's free lunch program. Reading through all these comments is both reassuring and frustrating - it sounds like the distribution is way more complicated than they initially explained and there are delays everywhere! I'm going to try calling that P-EBT hotline number (877-328-9677) that several people mentioned, though I'm not looking forward to potentially waiting hours on hold. Has anyone had luck getting through during specific times of day? I'm wondering if calling first thing in the morning or later in the evening might have shorter wait times.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare while trying to care for your son! As someone who's navigated similar CalFresh issues, I want to add a few practical tips for your appeal: 1. Document EVERYTHING - keep a log of every phone call, who you spoke with, and what they told you. CalFresh workers often give conflicting information. 2. When you file your appeal, also request an "expedited hearing" if you can show you have less than $150 in resources or your monthly income is less than your rent/mortgage. This can speed up the process. 3. Consider reaching out to a local legal aid organization - many have CalFresh specialists who can help with appeals at no cost. They know exactly which regulations to cite. 4. If possible, try to get your fiancé to write a statement confirming he lives elsewhere temporarily and that you maintain separate food purchases. Sometimes having it in writing from the other party helps. The fact that you qualified for Medi-Cal is actually a good sign - it shows the county recognizes your financial need. Don't let them discourage you from fighting this!

I'm really sorry you're going through this - it sounds incredibly stressful trying to navigate these bureaucratic hurdles while caring for your son. From what you've described, it definitely sounds like the caseworker may have misapplied the rules, especially since your adoption isn't finalized yet and you're maintaining separate finances. One thing that might help is asking specifically about the "separate economic unit" designation. Since your fiancé is temporarily living elsewhere for work and you're purchasing/preparing food separately, you should be able to qualify as separate households for CalFresh purposes even if you're together as a family unit. Also, make sure they're properly calculating your net income after all deductions. With $950/month in childcare costs, that's a huge deduction that should significantly lower your countable income. Sometimes workers forget to apply all the deductions properly. Don't give up - you clearly need and deserve this assistance, and it sounds like you have a strong case for appeal. The system can be frustrating, but you've got this!