Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- 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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
One other thing to check - make sure they didn't accidentally count your sister's previous income from before she lost her job. I've seen cases where they mistakenly used old income information rather than the current unemployment. Also, did you report her as "mandatory" or "non-mandatory" when adding her? Everyone who lives together and purchases/prepares food together should be mandatory.
I'm pretty sure I listed her as mandatory since we definitely shop and cook together. But maybe they did use old income info... she was making a lot more at her previous job than she gets on unemployment. I'll specifically ask about that when I call tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!
hey did u ever get this resolved?? my friend just had her benefits drop after adding her mom to the case too so wondering what happened with yours
Yes! Finally got through yesterday. Turns out they had accidentally counted my sister's previous income FROM HER JOB along with her unemployment! So they had us at like $5,500 household income instead of $3,900. They fixed it and our benefits are going up to $780 next month, plus they're giving us back pay for this month's shortage. Tell your friend to check if they did something similar!
That's amazing Emma! So glad you got it sorted out. My friend is dealing with the exact same thing - they added her mom who's on social security and their benefits dropped way more than they should have. I'll tell her to specifically ask them to check if they're double-counting income sources. Thanks for the update!
Join the conversation
Update: I downloaded both BenefitsCal and ConnectEBT. The ConnectEBT was super easy to set up and I can see my balance right away. The BenefitsCal was more complicated - I had to create an account and then it asked for my case number, which I had to find on an old notice. But now I have access to everything! Thanks everyone for your help!
glad it worked out for u! ya connectebt is way easier just for quick balance checks
Make sure you set up 2-factor authentication in BenefitsCal. There's been a lot of account hacking lately where scammers try to change people's direct deposit info for cash benefits.
I'm still confused about all this. So CalWIN is completely gone now? I have my annual recertification interview for CalFresh next week and I'm worried I'm supposed to be using some new system I don't know about. Will my EBT card still work the same? And when they say "BenefitsCal" is that the same as the old "MyCalFresh" website or something completely different? Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to lose my benefits because I missed some announcement.
Great questions! Let me clarify: 1. Your EBT card works exactly the same at stores regardless of which system/app you use to check it 2. BenefitsCal has replaced both CalWIN and MyCalFresh (it's a new unified system) 3. For your recertification interview, you should receive instructions specific to your county 4. You won't lose benefits just because you haven't switched to the new system yet If you're worried about your recertification interview, you can create a BenefitsCal account now, but you can also still complete your recert by phone or with paper forms if needed.
Join the conversation
I just wanted to share that in my experience, following up with the county office BEFORE summer starts makes a huge difference. Last year, families who proactively checked their children's eligibility status in May were able to resolve issues before the benefit distribution started. Those who waited until July or August to check often missed out because of the backlog of requests. So definitely call your CalFresh office soon to verify your son's status!
That's great advice, thank you! I'll definitely call them this week. I appreciate everyone's help in figuring this out!
Just wanted to add that you can also check if your preschool participates in the federal meal programs by looking them up on the California Department of Education's website. They have a searchable database of schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program. This might save you a phone call and give you the info right away! The database is usually pretty up-to-date, and if your son's preschool is listed there, he should definitely qualify for Summer EBT as long as you're on CalFresh.
Thank you for mentioning the California Department of Education database! I didn't know that existed. That sounds like a much faster way to check than waiting on hold with the school. Do you happen to remember what the database is called or have a link? I'd love to look it up myself to double-check before I call the county office.
Join the conversation
One important thing to remember - always check your balance before withdrawing! You can check your CalWORKs cash balance for free by calling the number on the back of your EBT card (1-877-328-9677) or using the BenefitsCal website/app. I learned this the hard way after getting hit with an insufficient funds fee once when I assumed money had been deposited but it was delayed.
Good advice! I downloaded the app this morning and it's showing both my food and cash balances. So helpful to have that info before heading to the ATM.
Just wanted to add that if you're in the South Bay area, the ATMs at most County Federal Credit Union locations are also part of the surcharge-free network for EBT cash withdrawals. They have branches in San Jose, Campbell, and Santa Clara. I've used the one on Stevens Creek Boulevard several times without any issues. Also, pro tip - if you're ever unsure about an ATM, look for the "Quest" logo on the machine - that's the network that processes EBT transactions. If you see that logo, you should be good to go!
Anastasia Popov
UPDATE: Our P-EBT card just got reloaded this morning! $198 for each child, which I think covers June and July. So they're definitely starting to issue the June payments now. Check your cards everyone!
0 coins
Sean Murphy
•just checked mine and got it too!!! same amount $198 per kid
0 coins
Aisha Rahman
For anyone else following this thread who might be confused about P-EBT eligibility: 1. The P-EBT 0-6 program is continuing through fiscal year 2025 (ends September 2025) 2. Children must be under 6 years old 3. Your household must receive CalFresh benefits or be newly eligible under the expanded income guidelines 4. Benefit amounts for 2025 are $33 per child per eligible month 5. Payments come every other month, covering two months of benefits ($66 per child typically) 6. The schedule for 2025 has benefits being issued in January, March, June, August, October, and December If you're having trouble accessing your benefits or have questions about eligibility, contact your county CalFresh office. The P-EBT customer service line (877-328-9677) is often overwhelmed, so reaching your direct county worker is usually more effective.
0 coins
Nia Davis
•lol good luck "contacting your county worker" - they NEVER answer and the voicemail is always full!!!
0 coins