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!

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.

Just wanted to add that you can check your Summer EBT eligibility online at ca.gov/summerf00d or call 1-877-328-9677. If your kids qualified for free or reduced-price school meals during the 2024-25 school year, they should automatically get the Summer EBT benefits loaded onto a separate card (not your regular EBT card). The benefits are loaded all at once in June for the whole summer - $135 total per eligible child ($45 x 3 months). Also, if you haven't received your card by now and think you should qualify, definitely call that number because sometimes there are processing delays!

I'm new to CalFresh and this community has been so helpful! I was also confused about the benefits this month. My case worker mentioned that the annual COLA increase might make it seem like there's "extra" money, but it's just the regular adjustment. For anyone still struggling with food costs, I found that shopping at discount grocery stores like Aldi and using the CalFresh restaurant locator for hot meals has really helped stretch my benefits. Also, don't forget about local food pantries - many don't require any paperwork and can supplement your monthly groceries. The combination of CalFresh + food banks + Summer EBT for kids (if eligible) can really make a difference during these expensive times!

So glad you got it resolved! Thanks for sharing the update - this is really helpful info for others who might face the same situation. The tip about calling right at 8am is gold, and knowing that some counties require the signed form even after online updates is crucial. Hope your kids get their Summer EBT cards without any issues now!

That's such a relief that you got it sorted out! Your experience is really valuable for other parents - I had no idea that some counties require both the online update AND a signed form. I'm dealing with a similar address change situation right now and was only planning to do the online update. Do you know if the CF 37 form is the same one used across all California counties, or does each county have their own version? Also, did they give you a timeline for when the address change would be fully processed?

UPDATE: Just heard back and the Temporary Homeless Assistance was approved! They're paying for a hotel for the next 16 days, which gives me time until my first paycheck and to find a new place. Thank you all SO MUCH for your advice - especially about asking specifically for the Temporary Homeless Assistance program. The worker also referred me to their Housing Support Program for help finding a new permanent place. I'm still stressed but at least my son will have a safe place to sleep.

So glad to hear the Temporary Homeless Assistance came through! That's such a relief. Just wanted to add - when you're looking for a new place, some landlords are more willing to work with CalWORKs recipients than others. You might want to ask your Housing Support Program worker if they have a list of "CalWORKs-friendly" landlords or properties. Also, if you're having trouble finding a place that will accept you, ask about the security deposit assistance - sometimes offering to pay a larger security deposit upfront (with the county's help) can make landlords more willing to rent to you. Wishing you and your son the best!