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CalFresh P-EBT SunBucks card not loading for my 3 kids until the 31st - Fresno County delay?
Got letter S P-EBT cards from Fresno County for my 3 kids (grades 2, 5, and 8) but when I called the number on the back to check the balance, the automated system says benefits won't load until the 31st?? That's still 2 weeks away! My neighbor who's also in Fresno got her SunBucks cards for her kids last week and could use them right away. Does anyone know if this is normal or if something's wrong with our cards? We were really counting on using these this weekend for groceries since I'm between paychecks right now. Has anyone else in Fresno County experienced this delay with the new SunBucks P-EBT cards?
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Will my P-EBT card come to new address after moving 3 months ago?
I moved to a new apartment about 3 months ago and updated my address with CalFresh right away (got that confirmation letter and everything). But now I'm worried about my P-EBT benefits. I have two kids in elementary school who qualify for free lunch, and we're supposed to get P-EBT cards for the 2024-2025 school year. Will those automatically come to my new address since I updated it with the county, or do I need to do something separate for P-EBT? I don't want to miss those benefits because the kids' school mentioned they should be coming out next month. Anyone know how the P-EBT address system works with CalFresh?
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does anyone know if p-ebt benefits expire? found old card from 2023 and wondering if money still on there??
Yes, P-EBT benefits do expire, but they typically remain active for at least a year from the date they were issued. If your card is from 2023, the benefits are likely still available. You can check the balance by calling the number on the back of the card. Unlike regular CalFresh benefits, P-EBT doesn't expire month-to-month - you have the full period (usually 12 months) to use the entire benefit amount.
I went through this exact same situation last year! When I moved, I updated my address with CalFresh immediately but forgot to update it with the school district. My P-EBT card ended up going to my old address and it was such a hassle to get it sorted out. The key thing is that P-EBT primarily pulls address info from the school system, not CalFresh. Since you updated both places, you should be in good shape! But definitely call that P-EBT hotline number that Sean mentioned (877-328-9677) just to double-check. When I called, they were able to confirm my kids were in the system and verify the address they had on file. Also, keep an eye on your mail around the time they're supposed to be distributed. If it doesn't show up within a week or two of when other families in your area are getting theirs, call immediately. The sooner you catch any address issues, the easier they are to fix. Good luck!
Just approved for CalFresh in January - will I get extra benefits this month?
Hey everyone, I just got approved for CalFresh benefits last month (January 2025). My EBT card arrived and I got my first regular payment loaded on February 11th. I keep hearing from my neighbor that sometimes they give extra benefits certain months? Is that true and would I qualify for any extra amount this month if I just started? My caseworker didn't mention anything about extras when I applied. I'm a single parent with 2 kids if that matters.
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I'm confused about this whole SAR7 thing too...is that the same as recertification? I got a packet in the mail but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to fill it out or wait for recertification. Does everybody have to do the SAR7?
SAR7 and recertification are two different things: - SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) is a form you submit halfway through your certification period. It's a shorter form where you report any changes in income, expenses, or household composition. - Recertification happens once a year and is a more complete review of your case where you essentially reapply for benefits. All CalFresh households must complete both unless they're exempt (some elderly or disabled households). The SAR7 is due in the 6th month of your certification period, and recertification is due in the 12th month.
I called the county office today and finally got through after trying several times. They updated my information to include the childcare expenses! The worker said my benefits will increase starting next month by about $175. I'm so glad I asked here instead of just assuming what my neighbor said about extra benefits. The childcare deduction is actually going to help way more in the long run. Thank you everyone for your help!
That's awesome! Congrats on the increase! 👏
That's fantastic news! $175 more per month will make such a difference for your family. It's great that you were persistent and got through to update your case. This is a perfect example of why it's so important to report all eligible expenses - the system really doesn't automatically know about things like childcare costs. Hope this helps other people reading this thread to check their own cases too!
CalFresh P-EBT Summer 2025 distribution by last name - 'B' surnames still waiting?
I'm getting really concerned about our family's P-EBT summer food benefits for 2025. My last name starts with B (Barrera), and we still haven't received our cards in the mail. My kids qualify for free school lunch, so we should be eligible for the summer P-EBT according to the notice I got from their school. I've noticed several people posting on Facebook that they received their cards already, including families with last names starting with C, D, and even M! I thought they were sending these out alphabetically? Has anyone else with a 'B' last name received their summer P-EBT cards yet? Should I call the county office or is there a specific P-EBT number to check on status? This is really stressful since we were counting on those funds for summer groceries.
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has anyone had their old p-ebt card from last year work for this years benefits? i still have my kids cards from last summer and wondering if the new benefits will just load onto those or if we're supposed to get new cards entirely?
If you still have P-EBT cards from previous distributions, the new Summer 2025 benefits should be automatically loaded onto those existing cards. You can check the balance by calling the number on the back of the card or visiting the EBT website. If your cards were lost or discarded, you'll need to call the P-EBT hotline (877-328-9677) to request replacements.
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.
Extra CalFresh benefits this month (July 2025)? Did anyone receive supplemental payments?
Can someone please tell me if CalFresh is giving extra benefits this month? I checked my EBT card yesterday and the amount seemed normal, but my neighbor swore we're getting a supplemental payment because of the rising food costs. She said something about July 2025 having additional stamps for everyone. I called the county number but got stuck in the automated system for 40 mins before giving up. My caseworker never responds to messages either. Did anyone else hear about this or get extra money on their card? I'm a single mom with 2 kids and every extra dollar helps with these crazy grocery prices now.
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Thanks everyone for clearing this up! Sounds like there's no extra CalFresh this month specifically, but I'm definitely going to look into the Summer EBT program for my kids. I appreciate all the information - it's so hard to get straight answers sometimes!
let us know if u get that summer ebt thing! i got 3 kids might help me too
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!
Genevieve Cavalier
@confused_mom Yes, the P-EBT SunBucks cards are completely separate from regular CalFresh benefits. You can absolutely use both! They're different programs with different funding sources. Think of the P-EBT as extra food benefits specifically for your school-aged children. The regular CalFresh is for the whole household's food needs. Neither one affects the other's benefit amounts.
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Riya Sharma
Thank you! That makes so much more sense now. I was worried using one would reduce the other or something.
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Olivia Kay
I'm in Fresno County too and just got my P-EBT SunBucks cards yesterday for my two kids. Same situation - the automated system said benefits won't load until the 31st. My last name starts with T so that matches what others are saying about the S-Z batch. It's really frustrating because my kids are asking why their friends can use their cards already but we have to wait. I understand they're trying to prevent system crashes but they really should have explained the staggered rollout better in the letters they sent. At least now I know it's normal and not a problem with our specific cards. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
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