California CalFresh
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P-EBT card address issues - only received one for teen but not younger kids
I'm completely frustrated right now. Just received a P-EBT card for my 15-year-old today, but nothing came for my 12 and 10-year-old kids. I called the P-EBT customer service number to figure out what's happening, and when they tried to verify my address, they're saying they have a different address on file than both my current AND previous address! The representative couldn't tell me what address they have, just that mine "doesn't match" their records. They refused to verify my identity any other way (not by SSN, birthdate, nothing). Has anyone dealt with this address verification nightmare? How am I supposed to get my younger kids' benefits if they won't even tell me what address they have in their system? My children all attend the same school district, so it makes no sense why one card arrived but not the others.
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EBT card arrived with previous owner's name - system says benefits loading on Sep 5th - is this a mistake?
So confused right now! I just received an EBT card in the mail today, but it has my daughter's name on it instead of mine. She used to get CalFresh benefits years ago, but she moved out in 2022. When I called the automated system to check the balance, it told me that benefits will be loaded on September 5th (next week). I never applied for CalFresh recently, so I'm really worried this is some kind of mistake or mix-up. Is the system going to put money on this card that isn't meant for me? Should I call the county office to report this? I don't want to get in trouble for having benefits I'm not supposed to have, but also don't want to mess up if these are actually legitimate benefits we qualify for.
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just fyi the ebt customer service number is different from the county office. u need 2 call the actual county calfresh office not just the ebt card number
Oh thank you for pointing that out! I only called the number on the back of the card, which is probably just for balance checks and stuff. I'll look up the actual county office number.
I work at a legal aid office and see cases like this regularly. You're doing the right thing by not using the card and calling immediately. One thing I'd add - if you can't get through to your county office by phone, many counties also accept reports through their online portals or you can visit in person. Some counties even have secure email addresses for reporting benefit discrepancies. Also, keep that card in a safe place - don't destroy it even after this gets resolved, as they may need the card number for their investigation. Document everything with dates and times, and if possible, get a case number when you report this so you can reference it in future calls.
Will California distribute P-EBT cards summer 2025? My kids need summer food assistance
So I heard from another mom at school pickup that P-EBT cards might be coming again this summer? My kids qualify for free school lunch and I'm really counting on some extra help with food over the summer months when they're home all day. My CalFresh benefits barely cover our needs during the school year ($875 for family of 4), so summers are always rough. Does anyone know if California will actually be distributing P-EBT in summer 2025? And how much would it be? Last summer we didn't get anything and it was really hard. Thanks for any info!
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While $120 per child isn't as much as we'd hope, it's important to note this is a supplement to your regular CalFresh benefits, not a replacement. Combined with the Summer Food Service Program sites and potentially increased regular benefits (if you report rent increases), families should be able to piece together enough resources. It's definitely challenging though.
I'm also a working parent struggling with summer food costs! For the Summer Food Service Program, I've found that some sites partner with local organizations to offer delivery or extended pickup windows. Also, if you qualify for WIC, they sometimes have summer produce vouchers that can help stretch your food budget. It's worth calling 211 (dial 2-1-1) to ask about all available summer food programs in your specific area - they maintain a comprehensive database of local resources that might not be widely advertised.
P-EBT card reloads officially ending - BenefitsCal confirmed NO MORE payments coming
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up - I finally got through to someone at the P-EBT hotline this morning after trying for DAYS. The rep confirmed that there will be NO MORE RELOADS happening on P-EBT cards for anyone in California. Period. They said the program has completely ended and the final payments were already issued. I've been checking my kids' cards every few days hoping for another reload since I heard rumors about possible extensions. Guess I can stop wasting my time! Anyone else get this same info? Or heard anything different about the P-EBT program being extended? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something before I tell my sister to stop checking her kids' cards too.
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Has anyone else noticed that regular CalFresh benefits seem to be getting lower too?? My January amount was almost $100 less than December and I didn't report ANY changes. Is this related to the P-EBT ending or something else going on? Everything is so expensive now and they keep cutting benefits!!!!
The CalFresh decrease many households saw in January 2025 is related to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that happened in October 2024. While benefit amounts were adjusted upward slightly, the standard deduction and other factors in the calculation changed as well. In some cases, this resulted in lower benefits despite the COLA increase. It's not directly related to P-EBT ending. If you think there's an error in your benefit calculation, you should contact your county office to request an explanation. You have the right to ask for a breakdown of how your benefit amount was calculated.
Thanks for posting this confirmation! I've been wondering about this for weeks. My neighbor kept insisting that her friend's sister heard there would be more P-EBT payments coming, but I had a feeling the program was really done. It's frustrating that there wasn't better communication about the end date, but at least now I can stop checking my kids' cards every few days. Really appreciate everyone sharing info about the Summer EBT program too - that's the first I've heard about it and it sounds like it could be a real help during those long summer months when the kids are home all day.
How long is the wait time for EBT customer service for P-EBT issues?
I've been trying to call the EBT customer service number on the back of my card about my kid's P-EBT benefits (not the county CalFresh office). They loaded some benefits last week but the amount seems way lower than what my neighbor got for her kids. I've been calling for two days and keep getting stuck in this automated system maze. Has anyone gotten through to a real person recently? What time of day is best to call? And how long did you have to wait? I'm getting desperate because my kids' summer food situation is getting tight and I need to know if there was a mistake with our P-EBT amount.
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u can also try the live chat on benefitscal.com sometimes they can answer PEBT questions and theres less wait there
the chat never works for me!! it always says "all agents are busy" no matter what time i try it
I tried the chat yesterday but they told me they can only help with regular CalFresh, not P-EBT issues. So frustrating that everything is so separated!
Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to the P-EBT customer service? Did they explain the difference in benefit amounts?
That's awesome that you got it resolved! It's so frustrating when there are system errors like that. Good to know the Claimyr service actually works - I might try that next time I need to call about benefits. Hope you get those additional funds loaded soon!
So glad you got it sorted out! This whole thread has been super helpful - I'm saving the P-EBT phone number and that Claimyr service info for future reference. It's crazy how many different systems and phone numbers we have to navigate just to get basic answers about our kids' benefits. Thanks for updating us on what happened!
Rosie Harper
I wanted to add one more thing - when you talk to the school district, ask specifically about their "direct certification" system. This is what they use to identify students eligible for free/reduced meals, which is what P-EBT is based on. Sometimes there are errors in how that information is transmitted to the state. Also, P-EBT cards for different age groups sometimes get sent out in different batches. So it's possible your younger kids' cards are still coming in a later mailing. The address issue is still worth fixing, but I wouldn't panic just yet about the missing cards.
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Darren Brooks
AuthorThat's reassuring to hear they might still be coming in a later batch. I'll definitely ask about the direct certification system when I call tomorrow. Thank you for all the helpful information!
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Leila Haddad
I'm dealing with something similar right now! Just wanted to add that if you have any older P-EBT cards from previous years that worked fine, keep those handy when you call. Sometimes the customer service reps can reference the address from those older cards to help verify your identity, even if they can't tell you what address is currently in their system. Also, I found it helpful to keep a detailed log of every call I made (date, time, representative name if they give it, and what they told me). When I finally got someone who could help, having that record made it easier to explain all the steps I'd already tried. The whole system is definitely frustrating, but don't give up - your kids deserve those benefits!
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