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Been waiting all day for my extra CalFresh benefits to load on my EBT card. I'm currently homeless in Tehama County and literally just want to get a sandwich from the gas station. I've checked my balance on the providers app so many times today that it locked me out and now I have to reset my password, which is a whole process when you don't have reliable internet. Does anyone know what time the supplemental benefits usually post here? Different counties seem to have different schedules. Really hungry and frustrated right now.
Just got a notice in the mail saying my CalFresh benefits are being discontinued as of 2/29/2025 because my income now exceeds the household limit. The letter arrived yesterday, and I'm honestly relieved they at least gave me some notice instead of just cutting me off with no warning. My question is: will I still receive my February benefits since the cutoff date is 2/29? I'm counting on that last deposit to help get through the month before my next paycheck comes in. The letter doesn't clearly say if I'll get February's amount or if they're stopping it immediately. Anyone dealt with this situation before? Really need to know if I should be budgeting differently for groceries this month.
THE SYSTEM IS RIDICULOUS!!! I made $50 too much on ONE paychcek last year and they cut me off for 3 months!!! Had to jump through HOOPS to get back on. They don't care about people actually trying to WORK and IMPROVE our situations!!! The minute you start doing better they PUNISH you by taking away food money!!! AND THEN THEY WONDER why some people don't bother trying to get better jobs!!!!
While I understand your frustration, there is some good news for the original poster. The program does have a gradual phase-out by design. As income increases, benefits typically decrease gradually rather than cutting off immediately. This is why checking if they applied all proper deductions is so important. And to clarify for everyone: occasional income fluctuations shouldn't immediately disqualify someone. For CalFresh in 2025, they're supposed to be looking at consistent income patterns, not one-time increases. If you experience this again, request a review and specifically ask them to evaluate your average income over time.
u should check the income limits online. maybe ur raise wasnt enough to actually disqualify u and they made a mistake?
For a single-person household in 2025, the gross monthly income limit for CalFresh is approximately $2,430 (130% of the Federal Poverty Level). However, if you have substantial deductions like high rent, you might qualify under the Net Income Test even with a higher gross income. This is why discussing your specific situation with a county worker is so important. Based on the $2,800 gross income you mentioned and your $2,300 rent, you might still qualify under certain circumstances. Definitely worth following up on.
Wow, thank you @ec51eaa4e14a for breaking down those numbers! Based on what you're saying, with my $2,300/month rent, I might actually still qualify even at $2,800 gross income. That's nearly my entire income going to rent when you factor in utilities. I'm definitely going to call the county office tomorrow and ask them to review the shelter deduction calculation. This gives me hope that maybe they did make an error in my case.
I've been trying to check my CalFresh balance through the ebtEDGE app for the last 3 days but keep getting an error message saying 'service temporarily unavailable.' Is anyone else having this problem? I need to grocery shop this weekend and have no idea how much is left on my card. Called the number on the back of my EBT card but got stuck in an automated system for 45 minutes before I gave up. Any ideas if the system is down statewide or if it's just me? Starting to get worried since my kids are home for spring break and we need to stock up on food!
System should be back up now - I just checked mine and it's working. They've been migrating to a new server system that should make the app more reliable in the future (at least that's what they claim). For future reference, during outages like this, you can also call 1-877-328-9677 and press 2-1-1 to check your balance through the automated system without having to speak to a representative.
Oh wow, I had no idea there were so many workarounds! I've been dealing with the same issue since Monday and was getting really stressed about it. Just tried a few of the suggestions here and found an old grocery receipt that shows I have enough for the week - such a relief! This community is amazing - everyone sharing tips and helping each other out. Definitely bookmarking this thread for future reference. Thanks everyone for making me feel less alone with this frustrating situation!
I've been hearing so many horror stories about CalFresh benefits being stolen lately! I woke up last month to find my balance nearly gone - reported it immediately but the county said investigation takes 30+ days. They replaced some benefits but I'm terrified it'll happen again. Does changing your PIN actually do anything to protect your account? I've changed mine twice now but my friend said once scammers have your card info, they can just keep taking from you no matter how many times you change PINs. Is this true? Should I be requesting a whole new card instead? I can't afford to lose another month of food money for my kids. ๐ญ๐ญ
One thing nobody's mentioned yet - some counties are now offering locked accounts where your EBT card is blocked from use except during specific timeframes that you set. You have to contact your county worker to see if this option is available to you yet. It's brand new as of January 2025 and not fully implemented everywhere, but worth asking about. This way, you can keep your card locked 24/7 and only unlock it for the 30 minutes you're actually shopping.
I'm so sorry this happened to you! As someone who's been through this nightmare twice, here's what I learned the hard way: First - YES, get a completely new card with new numbers immediately. Don't just change your PIN. Call your county office and specifically say "I need a REPLACEMENT card due to suspected fraud, not just a PIN change." Second - if you haven't already, download your county's EBT app and check your balance EVERY DAY. I caught my second theft within hours because I was checking obsessively. Third - about the investigation timeline: push back if they're making you wait too long. Document everything - dates, who you spoke to, what they said. Some counties are better than others at expediting replacements. The fact that they only replaced 60% of your stolen benefits is unacceptable. You should file an appeal on that decision. The whole amount should be restored unless they have concrete proof you authorized those transactions. Stay strong mama - I know how scary this is when you're trying to feed your kids. You're doing everything right by being proactive about it! ๐
Just wondering if anyone in LA County has gotten their kids' P-EBT cards yet - specifically for children whose names start with R? My son Ryan was supposed to get his according to the alphabetical schedule they posted, but we haven't received anything in the mail yet. It's been over 2 weeks since they said names R-T would be sent out. My neighbor already got hers for her daughter (last name starts with A) almost 3 weeks ago. Getting worried since we're really counting on those extra food benefits. Has anyone called about delays? Is there a different schedule for LA County I'm not aware of?
I'm in a similar situation with my daughter Rachel - we're in Pasadena area and still haven't received hers either. It's reassuring to see from everyone's updates that the R names are finally starting to go out this week. I've been checking our mail obsessively! Thanks for asking this question because I was starting to think we were the only ones still waiting. Going to keep an eye out for that plain white envelope with the state logo that others mentioned.
Natasha Petrova
Update us if your benefits post! Emergency supplements should be prioritized in the system, especially for those experiencing homelessness. If they don't appear by tomorrow morning, I'd recommend going directly to the Tehama County HHSA office in Red Bluff if you can. Sometimes in-person visits get faster results than phone calls for urgent situations.
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Keisha Taylor
AuthorGood news! My benefits finally posted at 11:48pm. Got my sandwich and some other food that'll last me a few days. Thanks everyone for the help and advice!
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Natasha Petrova
That's great to hear! Glad you got your benefits and some food. For future reference, you might want to note the exact day and time they posted this month, as it often follows the same pattern each month.
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Emma Johnson
So glad to hear your benefits finally came through! I'm new to this community but have been dealing with CalFresh issues in LA County. It's really helpful to see how different counties handle the timing - sounds like Tehama is pretty consistent with that late evening posting schedule. Thanks for updating us with the good news, and I hope things improve for your housing situation soon. This thread has been really informative about the timing patterns across different counties.
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