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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!
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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
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Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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Welcome to CalFresh! Just want to add that you can also set up account alerts through the EBT Connect app to get notifications when your benefits are deposited each month. This way you'll know exactly when your August benefits hit your card without having to check manually. Also, if you're ever unsure about your benefit amount or have questions about your case, you can log into your BenefitsCal account online - it shows your current benefit amount, case status, and any upcoming changes. The transition from that first approval payment to the regular monthly schedule can definitely be confusing, but once you get into the rhythm it becomes much more predictable!
This is super helpful advice! I just downloaded the EBT Connect app and set up the notifications. I had no idea you could get alerts when benefits are deposited - that's going to make budgeting so much easier. Thanks for mentioning the BenefitsCal account too, I should probably familiarize myself with all these resources since I'm new to the program.
Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this same confusion! When I first got approved, I was so worried about running out of food before the next payment. What helped me was calling the EBT customer service number (it's on the back of your card) - they were actually really helpful in explaining the payment schedule and confirming my issuance date. Also, pro tip: once you know your regular date (sounds like it'll be the 4th for you), benefits usually load around midnight to 6am that morning, so you don't have to wait all day. The learning curve is real with CalFresh but you'll get the hang of it!
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Update on the process: Once you submit Form 243 and have your police report number, the county has 10 business days to make a determination. If approved, replacement benefits should be issued within 5 business days after that. So in total, it could take up to 15 business days (about 3 weeks) to get your benefits restored. During this time, make sure to: 1. Call your worker every few days for updates 2. Check your EBT account online regularly 3. Keep documentation of all communication 4. If denied, immediately request a fair hearing (you only have 90 days) The 2025 regulations actually improved this process. Previously, it could take up to 45 days, so while 3 weeks is still difficult, it's better than it was.
This is incredibly helpful information! I went to the county office today and submitted everything. They gave me a $275 emergency food voucher for the next week and took all my documentation. The worker I spoke with said they're seeing a huge increase in EBT theft cases, especially in Alameda County. You were right about asking for emergency assistance - they didn't offer it until I specifically requested it because of having kids at home. Thank you all so much for your help during this nightmare situation.
I'm so glad you were able to get the emergency food voucher and submit all your paperwork today! That's a huge relief. The fact that the county worker mentioned seeing a surge in EBT theft cases in Alameda County is really concerning - it definitely sounds like there's some kind of organized operation targeting benefit recipients in our area. Keep us posted on how the claim process goes. Your detailed documentation and proof that you were at work during the fraudulent transactions should really help your case. Fingers crossed you get your benefits restored quickly! And thank you for sharing this experience - it's helping other community members learn what steps to take if this happens to them.
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my ebt card stopped working last month even tho i had benefits on there. had to get a replacement card. maybe ur card is broken?
I don't think it's my card since it works fine at the regular grocery store, just not at the farmers market. But thanks for the suggestion!
I'm new here but dealing with the same frustrating situation! Just wanted to add that some farmers markets also have a "token" system for EBT users - you swipe your card at a central booth and get wooden tokens or paper vouchers to spend with individual vendors. The market near me in Sacramento does this and it works great. Maybe ask if your market has this setup instead of individual vendor machines? Also, I've found that calling ahead on Friday afternoons helps - market managers are usually there prepping for the weekend and can give you a straight answer about their EBT situation rather than making you drive over just to find out they don't accept it.
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JUST GOT MY BENEFITS FINALLY!!!! Checked my balance and everything loaded. Thanks everyone for the help and letting me know I wasn't alone. This group is seriously a lifesaver sometimes.
glad it worked out! this happened to me once and I was freaking out too. wish they would communicate better
I'm new to CalFresh and this is my first time experiencing a delay like this. Reading through everyone's responses has been really helpful - I was starting to panic thinking I did something wrong with my application or missed a deadline. It's reassuring to know this is a system issue and not something on my end. I'll definitely bookmark that Claimyr service someone mentioned for future reference, and it's good to know about the emergency food vouchers if this happens again. Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone!
Emma Thompson
this happens every time they do updates i swear. my cousin works for the county and says theyre always doing these "upgrades" that just mess everything up worse lol
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Omar Hassan
•Same in Sacramento! County IT systems always causing problems. When they upgraded in 2023 my EBT card got completely deactivated somehow and I had to get a whole new one. Took 10 days!
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AstroAdventurer
I'm new to CalFresh and this is exactly what I was worried about! I just got approved last month in Fresno County and my benefits loaded fine then, but seeing posts like this makes me nervous. Is there anywhere we can sign up for notifications when there are system delays? It seems like they should have better communication about these issues, especially when families with kids are depending on these benefits for food.
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