UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what happened in case it helps someone else. I finally got through to my county worker yesterday (took forever!) and submitted the police report and CF 303 form. They approved emergency replacement benefits that will be loaded onto my new card as soon as I receive it (should arrive tomorrow). The worker said they're seeing dozens of these cases every week now. Thanks everyone for your help! I'm still angry this happened but at least my kids won't go hungry now. And I'm definitely changing my PIN regularly from now on.

This is such important information to share! I'm glad Alice was able to get her benefits restored quickly. For anyone else dealing with EBT theft, I'd also recommend covering your PIN when entering it at stores and checking your balance regularly through the ConnectEBT app. Some stores have been better about checking their card readers for skimmers, but it's still happening way too often. The fact that dozens of cases are being reported weekly shows this is becoming a real crisis for families relying on CalFresh benefits.

Just remember that P-EBT balances expire after a certain period (I think it's something like 274 days from when they're issued) so make sure to use them before they disappear! I lost about $300 last year because I forgot about some funds on my kids' cards.

For road trips with P-EBT, I've found it really helpful to plan grocery stops at larger chain stores like Safeway, Kroger, or even Walmart since they're usually easy to find along highways and accept EBT. You can grab things like individual bags of chips, crackers, string cheese, apples, bananas, and juice boxes - stuff that doesn't need refrigeration and is easy for kids to eat in the car. I also recommend checking if your route goes through any areas with WinCo or other budget grocery stores since you can stretch those P-EBT dollars further there. Safe travels!

I wanted to add one more resource that might help - the San Diego Food Bank has a Senior Food Rescue program where they deliver fresh produce and pantry items directly to seniors who have transportation challenges. You can call them at (858) 527-1419 to see if you qualify. They also partner with some senior housing complexes to do mobile food distributions. Also, if you're comfortable with technology, there's an app called "FlashFood" that shows discounted groceries at stores near you - sometimes up to 50% off items that are close to their sell-by date but still perfectly good. It's helped me stretch my food budget when money is tight. You can pay with your EBT card at participating stores. Keep us updated on how the recertification goes - I'm rooting for you to get those medical deductions applied!

I'm a senior food advocate and wanted to add a few more resources that might help you stretch your benefits: 1. **Senior Gleaning Programs** - Many farms in North County San Diego let seniors pick leftover produce for free after harvest. Contact the San Diego County Farm Bureau at (760) 745-3023 for current opportunities. 2. **WIC Senior Farmers Market Program** - If you're not already enrolled, this gives you additional coupons ($20-40 per season) specifically for fresh produce at farmers markets. It's separate from CalFresh. 3. **Food 4 Less discount days** - Many locations offer 10% senior discounts on Wednesdays, and they accept EBT. Combined with sales, this can really help your $47 go further. 4. **Community fridges** - There are several "blessing boxes" and community fridges around San Diego where people leave free food. The Little Free Pantry map shows locations near you. Regarding your medical expenses - $320/month should definitely increase your benefits significantly! When you call for recertification, also ask if you qualify for "expedited processing" since you're a senior with very low benefits. This can speed up the review process. You're doing great by reaching out for help - that takes courage. The combination of all these resources should make a real difference in your food security.

lol i never answer numbers i dont know anyway, if its important theyll leave a message or send a letter. but yea thats the real number on the back of my card too

I've been on CalFresh for about 2 years and this would be my first call from them too. Reading through everyone's responses, it sounds like they're doing more outreach calls lately which is actually kind of nice? I always stress about missing deadlines so a courtesy reminder call would be helpful. Definitely going to follow the advice here and call the number from my card directly instead of calling back the number from my phone history. Better safe than sorry with all these scams going around. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

one time mine showed as pending but then didn't actually load on my regular day and i panicked!!! turned out there was a system glitch and they fixed it the next day but maybe don't count on it until it's actually there lol

If you're in LA County and really need food before the 10th, check if there are any local food banks or pantries near you that can help bridge the gap. Places like the LA Regional Food Bank have locations all over and usually don't require much paperwork - just show up. Also, some churches and community centers do emergency food distribution. I know it's not ideal but when you're really tight on groceries it can help get you through those last few days. Hope your benefits show up as pending soon!