Thank you all for the information! It sounds like there won't be automatic extra benefits, which is disappointing. I wasn't directly affected by the floods but was hoping for some extra help. I'm going to try using Claimyr to get through to my worker because I need to ask about updating my rent amount anyway - it went up last month and I forgot to report it on my SAR7. Might help increase my regular benefit amount at least.

I went through something similar last year when I was confused about emergency benefits. Just want to add that if you do end up calling about your rent increase, make sure to have your new lease or rent notice ready when you call. They usually want documentation for any changes. Also, the SAR7 deadline isn't super strict - you have 10 days from when you receive it to turn it in, but they're usually pretty understanding if you're a little late with reporting changes that would help you (like increased rent). Good luck getting through to them!

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what happened in case it helps someone else. I finally got through to my county worker yesterday (took forever!) and submitted the police report and CF 303 form. They approved emergency replacement benefits that will be loaded onto my new card as soon as I receive it (should arrive tomorrow). The worker said they're seeing dozens of these cases every week now. Thanks everyone for your help! I'm still angry this happened but at least my kids won't go hungry now. And I'm definitely changing my PIN regularly from now on.

This is such important information to share! I'm glad Alice was able to get her benefits restored quickly. For anyone else dealing with EBT theft, I'd also recommend covering your PIN when entering it at stores and checking your balance regularly through the ConnectEBT app. Some stores have been better about checking their card readers for skimmers, but it's still happening way too often. The fact that dozens of cases are being reported weekly shows this is becoming a real crisis for families relying on CalFresh benefits.

Just remember that P-EBT balances expire after a certain period (I think it's something like 274 days from when they're issued) so make sure to use them before they disappear! I lost about $300 last year because I forgot about some funds on my kids' cards.

For road trips with P-EBT, I've found it really helpful to plan grocery stops at larger chain stores like Safeway, Kroger, or even Walmart since they're usually easy to find along highways and accept EBT. You can grab things like individual bags of chips, crackers, string cheese, apples, bananas, and juice boxes - stuff that doesn't need refrigeration and is easy for kids to eat in the car. I also recommend checking if your route goes through any areas with WinCo or other budget grocery stores since you can stretch those P-EBT dollars further there. Safe travels!

just remembered!!! senior food boxes!!! my neighbor gets one every month from the food bank. has pasta, rice, cereal, canned veggies, cheese, and sometimes meat. its for seniors with low income. call 866-350-FOOD to find out where to get it in san diego!!!

I wanted to add one more resource that might help - the San Diego Food Bank has a Senior Food Rescue program where they deliver fresh produce and pantry items directly to seniors who have transportation challenges. You can call them at (858) 527-1419 to see if you qualify. They also partner with some senior housing complexes to do mobile food distributions. Also, if you're comfortable with technology, there's an app called "FlashFood" that shows discounted groceries at stores near you - sometimes up to 50% off items that are close to their sell-by date but still perfectly good. It's helped me stretch my food budget when money is tight. You can pay with your EBT card at participating stores. Keep us updated on how the recertification goes - I'm rooting for you to get those medical deductions applied!

lol i never answer numbers i dont know anyway, if its important theyll leave a message or send a letter. but yea thats the real number on the back of my card too

I've been on CalFresh for about 2 years and this would be my first call from them too. Reading through everyone's responses, it sounds like they're doing more outreach calls lately which is actually kind of nice? I always stress about missing deadlines so a courtesy reminder call would be helpful. Definitely going to follow the advice here and call the number from my card directly instead of calling back the number from my phone history. Better safe than sorry with all these scams going around. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!