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This entire thread has been such a lifesaver to read! I'm brand new to both this community and CalFresh (literally just got my card yesterday), and Connor's situation was exactly what I was worried about happening to me. I had no idea there was a separate EBT customer service number - I thought you had to go through the county office for absolutely everything! Reading everyone's real experiences and practical solutions has been so much more helpful than any official government website. I'm definitely saving that 1-877-328-9677 number and all the identity verification tips right now. It's terrifying how something as simple as forgetting your PIN can turn into a food crisis when you're relying on these benefits. Connor, I'm so glad you got everything sorted out quickly! Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes these overwhelming government systems feel less scary for newcomers like me. I feel so much more prepared now knowing what to do if I ever run into EBT issues!
Welcome to the community Aisha! It's so reassuring to see how this thread has helped so many newcomers like us. I just joined this community a few days ago and I'm also very new to CalFresh (got approved about 3 weeks ago). Reading Connor's experience was honestly terrifying because I realized how unprepared I was for any EBT issues. Like everyone else here, I had no clue about the separate customer service line and would have definitely been calling the wrong number in a panic! I've learned so much from everyone's shared experiences - it's amazing how this community provides the real practical information that you just can't find in official resources. I'm definitely bookmarking this entire thread and saving all the important numbers and tips. Connor, thank you for sharing your situation and the resolution - it's going to help so many people who find themselves in similar emergencies. This is exactly the kind of supportive community that makes navigating these complex government programs feel less overwhelming!
Wow, this thread has been incredibly educational for me too! I'm also new to this community and fairly new to CalFresh (about 4 months now), and I honestly had no idea about that separate EBT customer service line. Like so many others here, I've been calling my county office for everything and wondering why it takes hours to get through to anyone. Connor, reading about your situation gave me such anxiety because I can totally picture myself in that exact same panic - trying to buy groceries for my family and having the card get locked. I'm so relieved you got it resolved quickly! I've already saved that 1-877-328-9677 number in my contacts and taken screenshots of all the verification info everyone mentioned. It's incredible how this community comes together with real, practical solutions instead of just empty sympathy. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of information that actually helps people navigate these complicated systems. I feel so much more prepared now knowing what to do if I ever face an EBT emergency!
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Just wanted to add that if you're still waiting, don't panic! I got mine about 2 weeks after my sister got hers and we live in the same zip code. The distribution really is random within each phase. Also, for anyone who's cards might get lost or stolen, you can report them through the EBT customer service line and they'll send replacements. Had to do this last year when my daughter's card never showed up - turns out our mail carrier was having issues. The replacement came within about 10 days. Hang in there everyone!
Thanks for sharing that! It's really reassuring to know the distribution timing can vary so much even within the same area. Good to know about the replacement process too - I never thought about what happens if they get lost in the mail. These days with package theft being so common, it's probably more of an issue than people realize. Definitely going to keep checking my mail carefully for those plain white envelopes everyone's mentioning!
Been following this thread anxiously since I'm in the same boat! Got 2 kids in elementary and we qualify for free lunch but haven't seen our cards yet. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - especially the tip about the plain white envelopes. I've probably been tossing mail thinking it was spam! Going to start checking everything more carefully now. Also good to know about Claimyr if I need to call the hotline. The waiting is so stressful when you're budgeting tight and counting on this help. Thanks for keeping us all updated!
I totally feel you on the stress of waiting! I'm new to this community but going through the exact same thing with my twin boys in 3rd grade. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful - I had no idea the cards looked so much like junk mail. I've definitely thrown away stuff thinking it was spam too! It's reassuring to see that people are still getting their cards and that the timing really is all over the place. Fingers crossed we both see ours soon! This community seems really supportive for navigating all this stuff.
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UPDATE: Just got our P-EBT card in the mail today!! (May 17) We're in the Sherman Oaks area of LA. It did come in a very plain envelope that I almost missed. It has the full amount for all months! Such a relief. Hope everyone else gets theirs soon!
omg yay!! gonna check my mail extra carefully today!!
Congrats Malik! So happy to hear you finally got yours! I'm in Van Nuys and still waiting but this gives me hope that they're working through the San Fernando Valley area. Going to be extra careful checking my mail now. Thanks for the update and glad you got the full amount!
Thanks for sharing! I'm also in the Valley area (North Hollywood) and haven't gotten mine yet either. It's encouraging to see the cards are finally making their way through different parts of LA County. Fingers crossed we both get ours soon! The plain envelope tip has been so helpful - I've been checking every piece of mail super carefully now.
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UPDATE: Our benefits just loaded today! Full $575 per child as expected. Thanks everyone for the help and information! For anyone else waiting in Manteca Unified, check your cards now!
Still NOTHING for us in Lodi!! This is so unfair how they roll this out!!
Glad to hear your benefits arrived! According to the schedule, Lodi Unified should be receiving benefits next week (June 22-28). If you don't see anything by June 30, I'd recommend contacting the P-EBT helpline or using your county social services office as an alternate contact point.
Just wanted to add my experience for anyone still waiting - I'm new to the P-EBT program and had to learn everything from scratch this year. My kids attend a school in San Joaquin County that participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (free meals for all students), but I never knew about P-EBT until a friend mentioned it. I applied late through the ca.p-ebt.org website in May and just received our cards in the mail yesterday. The benefits were already loaded with the full summer amount! So for anyone who might have missed out on automatic enrollment, it's not too late to apply directly through the website. The application was pretty straightforward and asked for basic info about my kids and their school.
This is so helpful! I had no idea you could still apply directly if you missed the automatic enrollment. My sister's kids go to a different district and she's been waiting forever with no luck. I'm definitely going to share this with her - sounds like applying through the website might be faster than waiting for the automatic rollout. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you for sharing this! I'm actually in a similar situation - my kids go to a school with free lunch for everyone but I somehow never got the P-EBT cards automatically. I didn't even know this program existed until I saw this thread. Quick question - when you applied through the website, did you need any specific documents or just basic info like school name and your kids' details? And how long did it take from application to receiving the cards? Really appreciate you posting about the direct application option!
Avery Saint
Hi Harper! Welcome to the community! I'm also pretty new here and this thread has been such an amazing resource. For Asian restaurants beyond Panda Express, I haven't seen any Vietnamese or Thai places specifically mentioned in this thread yet, but with 37 locations in that app, there might be some hidden gems! I'd definitely recommend checking the "Kern County EBT Restaurants" app thoroughly - sometimes smaller ethnic restaurants participate but aren't as well-known for it. Also, keep an eye out for those yellow RMP stickers when you're driving around with your aunt. I've discovered a few participating places just by staying alert to the signage. You might also try calling some of the Vietnamese and Thai restaurants directly to ask if they participate - the program has expanded so much in 2025 that some newer participants might not be widely known yet. If you do find any pho or Thai places that accept EBT, please come back and share! I'm sure there are others in the community who would love those options too. Hope your aunt's move goes smoothly and that she enjoys exploring all these dining possibilities!
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Tyler Lefleur
•@Harper Thompson @Avery Saint Welcome to both of you! I m also'brand new to this community and have been amazed by how helpful everyone has been. For Vietnamese and Thai restaurants, I d suggest'also checking with the local senior centers - they sometimes keep informal lists of ethnic restaurants that participate in RMP but aren t widely'publicized. The Vietnamese community in Bakersfield is pretty tight-knit, so word-of-mouth might help you find pho places that accept EBT. Also, don t forget'that you can always ask restaurant owners directly if they d be'interested in joining the program - sometimes they just don t know'it exists! If you find any good Asian options, please definitely share them here. This thread has become such a valuable resource for all of us helping elderly family members navigate these programs.
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StarSurfer
Hi everyone! I'm completely new to this community and just joined after discovering this incredibly informative thread while searching for Restaurant Meals Program information. My 78-year-old mother is moving to Bakersfield with me in two weeks and will be applying for CalFresh benefits soon. I had absolutely no idea that the RMP existed or had expanded so much until reading through all your amazing experiences! I've already downloaded the "Kern County EBT Restaurants" app that Anna mentioned - having 37 locations with GPS mapping is going to be a game-changer for my mom's independence. Based on all the wonderful advice shared here, I'm planning to start with Golden Corral (the senior discount combination sounds perfect!) and Denny's during off-peak hours. The practical tips you've all shared are invaluable - especially Mohammad's advice about franchise locations having better-trained staff and going during quieter hours. My mom has been worried about feeling self-conscious using benefits, but reading Sara's positive experience at Panda Express and seeing how supportive the staff was really gives us both confidence. One question: has anyone tried any of the participating locations for special dietary needs? My mom is diabetic and needs to watch her carb intake, so I'm wondering if places like Golden Corral's buffet make it easy to find suitable options. Thank you all for creating such a welcoming and knowledgeable community. This thread has given me so much hope and practical information for helping my mom navigate these benefits while maintaining her dignity and independence!
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