Just want to add that you should also check if the card was sent but not activated. Sometimes the P-EBT cards come in very plain envelopes that look like junk mail. My friend almost threw hers away! The envelope just says "Official Business" and doesn't clearly identify as P-EBT.

my kids got theirs last week both R names so they def still sending them

glad it worked out!!! merry christmas! this is why i hate dealin w government benefits... always something goin wrong at the worst possible time lol

For future reference for anyone reading this thread: PIN changes on EBT cards can sometimes cause a temporary delay (usually 2-24 hours) in accessing newly deposited benefits. This is a security feature, not a glitch. The delay tends to be longer during holidays and weekends due to reduced processing staff. If you need to change your PIN, try to do it at least 48 hours before you expect new benefits to be deposited, especially around holidays. And always keep an emergency food supply for these kinds of situations!

This happened to me after my last recertification. I ended up having to go to the county office and they printed me a temporary card right there. Bring your ID and know your Social Security number. They might ask security questions like your case number or verification of your address. The temporary card worked immediately, and then my permanent one came about a week later. Good luck! It's so stressful when you can't access your benefits.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get your replacement card? If you're still having trouble, one other thing to try is to ask if your county has an EBT liaison. Some counties have specific staff members who can troubleshoot EBT card issues more effectively than regular eligibility workers.

try calling ur local office instead of main number my cousin works at dpss and says nobody answers main line lol

Based on your situation, I'd recommend two things: 1. Since you have an approval letter showing your benefit amount and your BenefitsCal account shows active status, this is clearly a technical issue with benefit issuance, not an eligibility problem. 2. If you've tried calling during off-peak hours without success, you might need to visit your local DPSS office in person. Bring your approval letter, ID, and EBT card. They can often resolve benefit issuance problems on the spot. One last option - if you can't take time off work to visit an office, check if your local DPSS office has an email address for emergencies. Some counties have implemented this since 2024.

I just went through this exact situation. Called the county about my CalFresh application after waiting 3+ weeks and found out they needed verification documents they never told me about. I used the Claimyr service (claimyr.com) to get through quickly - they connected me directly to a caseworker in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The worker told me that with a baby, we qualified for expedited CalFresh processing but the system hadn't flagged our application correctly. Got everything sorted in one call and had benefits within 3 days after waiting weeks. Definitely worth calling ASAP.

One additional note: Make sure when you follow up about your CalFresh application that you ask if you qualify for expedited services. With an infant and limited income, you might be eligible to receive benefits within 3 days instead of waiting up to 30 days for regular processing. You'll need to specifically ask about this as sometimes the expedited service eligibility isn't automatically checked. Also, request a benefit calculation breakdown so you understand exactly how your benefit amount is determined.