DONT WASTE UR TIME CALLING!!! The county NEVER answers and when they do they just tell you to "wait" anyway. I waited 3 weeks for my extra benefits after winning an appeal. The system is broken and nobody there cares if ur eating ramen for another week!!! 😡

hey did ur money ever come thru? been wondering what happened

When you submit your new application make sure you check the box for expedited services!! If your income is low enough right now they have to process your case within 3 days and issue benefits right away. The magic words are "expedited services" or "emergency CalFresh" when you talk to them. Also bring ID for everyone in household and proof of address to speed things up.

One important thing to know - if you're reapplying, benefits are never backdated to when you were cut off. They'll only start from the date of your new application. That's why it's important to reapply immediately rather than spending too much time trying to fix the old case (which sometimes can't be done if it's been discontinued for a certain period). For the immediate need while waiting for your application to process, most counties have Emergency Food Assistance Programs. Call 211 to find food banks and emergency assistance in your area that can help right away. Lastly, when you reapply, list all household expenses including rent, utilities, childcare costs, and medical expenses. These deductions can significantly increase your benefit amount by reducing your countable income.

I was super paranoid about this too after my neighbor had her benefits stolen last year! The ConnectEBT app is what my case worker specifically told me to use. It's not the prettiest app but it works consistently. Just make ABSOLUTELY SURE you download the right one - there are some fake apps with similar names. The real ConnectEBT app is made by Conduent.

UPDATE: I downloaded the ConnectEBT app and it's working great! Thanks everyone for the help. It was super easy to set up - just needed my card number and PIN. Now I can check my balance before heading to the store. I also saved the phone number as a backup just in case.

This is actually a known issue with the March 2025 emergency supplements. The system was supposed to issue them automatically on the 27th, but there was a processing error affecting accounts in certain case number ranges. When this happens, workers have to manually issue the supplements, which unfortunately takes time.\n\nIf the representative told you it would be processed, it should appear within 3-5 business days. If you don't see it by then, call back and request to speak with a benefits supervisor. Make sure to have your case number ready and specifically mention the \

Thank you so much for this detailed information! I had no idea about the case number ranges being affected - that makes a lot of sense. I'll give it until Tuesday (which would be 5 business days) and then follow your advice if I still don't see anything. Really appreciate knowing about the expedited emergency benefits too, though hopefully it won't come to that.

I heard from my cousin in sacramento that they're gunna do somthing for the summer months only bc of kids being home from school needing more food. not sure if its true tho

UPDATE: I finally got through to a CalFresh worker this morning (after trying different times of day). They confirmed there are NO plans for emergency allotments in California for 2025. However, the worker was very helpful about the Medical Nutrition Deduction! She sent me the CF 31 form and explained exactly what documentation I need. Apparently, I can claim the price difference between regular foods and gluten-free alternatives as a medical expense. She did say I need to track these expenses for at least a month before submitting the form. Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions!