I appreciate everyone's responses! Sounds like most of us are cautiously optimistic about these new cards. I just set a reminder to double-check my address on file. After what I went through last time with the stolen benefits, I'm willing to try anything that might help. Will update here when I eventually get my new card!

I'm really hoping these new cards work better than what we have now. I had my benefits stolen twice in 2024 and it was such a nightmare trying to get them replaced. The county workers kept asking for police reports and receipts I didn't have, and I went almost a month without food assistance the second time. One thing I'm wondering about - will the new cards work at all the same stores and ATMs? Sometimes when stores update their card readers it takes a while for EBT to work properly again. I rely on a few smaller grocery stores in my neighborhood and I'm worried they might not be ready for the chip technology right away. Also, does anyone know if we'll be able to use mobile payment options eventually? I see people paying with their phones at stores and wonder if that might be even more secure than cards.

not to go off topic but does anyone know when the next round of P-EBT is supposed to come out? my kids qualified last time but i haven't heard anything about this year

Update: So I talked to my preschool director this morning. Turns out they do participate in the National School Lunch Program but my daughter wasn't properly coded in their system as eligible for free meals (even though she is). The director is sending me a correction letter that I can submit to CalFresh. Thanks everyone for your help! I'll try using that Claimyr service to get through to someone once I have the letter.

UPDATE: I used Claimyr to get through to a real person at the county office and explained my situation. They're sending me the CF 88 form and told me to fill out a SAR 3 form for mid-period reporting. The worker said once they process these forms (hopefully within 10 days), I might get my full benefits back since my roommate and I don't share food. I also talked to LAFLA and they said the 14-day notice isn't a legal eviction notice in California, so that buys me more time. They're connecting me with their housing department to explore emergency rental assistance options too. Thank you all SO MUCH for the help and specific resources. I was panicking yesterday but feel like I at least have a plan now.

I'm so relieved to see your update! This is exactly why communities like this are so valuable - you got practical advice that actually worked. For anyone else reading this thread, your situation is a perfect example of why it's important to understand the difference between household composition and food purchasing units for CalFresh. One additional tip: when you submit those forms, ask your caseworker about expedited processing since you're facing housing instability. Some counties can fast-track cases with urgent circumstances like yours. Also, once your benefits are restored, you might want to look into local food pantries as a backup - places like LA Regional Food Bank have locations throughout South LA that can supplement your CalFresh benefits during tight months. Wishing you the best with getting everything sorted out! 🙏

UPDATE: I called the number on the back of the card and activated it! The customer service rep said benefits for Kings County with last names R-T are scheduled to load on the 16th (tomorrow). Thanks everyone for your help! I'm going to save this for our grocery shopping next week.

That's great news! Thanks for updating us with the loading schedule - that's really helpful info for other Kings County families. It sounds like they're doing a really organized rollout this year. Hope you have a good shopping trip next week with the benefits!

Thanks everyone for clearing this up! I'm going to stop by our school office tomorrow and make sure they have our current information for the Summer EBT program. My sister must have gotten confused about the name - seems like she was talking about Summer EBT but called it "P-EBT 4.0" which makes sense why I couldn't find any information about it. Really appreciate all the helpful responses!

Just wanted to add that you can also check your eligibility status online through the BenefitsCal website at benefitscal.com. They have a section specifically for Summer EBT where you can see if your kids are already in the system and what your current status is. It's much faster than calling sometimes! Also, make sure your school has your current mailing address AND phone number - I almost missed out last year because they had my old cell number and I didn't get the text notifications.