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Important information for everyone concerned about this change: Your regular CalFresh benefit amount is based on your household size, income, and expenses. If your circumstances have changed since your last certification or SAR7 report, you should contact your county office immediately. Specifically, make sure they have accurate information about: - Your current rent/mortgage amount - Utility costs (you may qualify for the Standard Utility Allowance) - Childcare or dependent care expenses - Medical expenses over $35/month for elderly or disabled household members - Child support payments Each of these deductions can significantly increase your base benefit amount. Don't wait until your next SAR7 or recertification to report these changes if they'll help your benefit calculation.
Has anyone received an official letter from CalFresh about the exact date in March when the emergency allotments will be issued? Some counties seem to be doing it early March, others late March. I need to plan my budget very carefully with this change.
I got a letter last week that said mine would be issued on March 18th in Riverside County. But my sister in LA County was told March 25th. I think it depends on your case number and county. You should check your BenefitsCal account - sometimes they post notifications there before sending letters.
I'd like to clarify some information based on the updated California Department of Social Services protocols implemented in 2025: 1. CalFresh benefits CAN still be replaced when stolen electronically, contrary to what some recipients have been told 2. The official replacement process now requires: - Form EBT-2259 ("Request for Benefit Replacement Due to Electronic Theft") - Police report filed within 5 days of discovery - Statement detailing when/where you last used the card - Copy of your EBT transaction history (available on the app) 3. The county has 10 business days to make a determination 4. If denied, you have appeal rights through the state hearing process For prevention, the new enhanced security features include: - Card lock/unlock feature in the EBT mobile app - Biometric verification option (fingerprint/face ID) - Geographic transaction limitations you can set - Purchase amount alerts - Category blocking (prevent ATM withdrawals entirely) I'd recommend setting up all these security features before your benefits arrive. They're all available in the CalFresh EBT app under "Security Settings.
This is SO helpful, thank you! I just checked the app and found all these security features. I had no idea they existed! I've turned everything on and feel a lot better about tomorrow's deposit now.
my caseworker told me to just spend all the benefits on the first day which is what i do every month now. bulk shopping at costco then no worries about theft!!!
That's actually not ideal advice from a nutrition standpoint. CalFresh is designed to last a full month, and studies show households that spend all benefits at once often experience food insecurity in the final week of the month. Better to use the security features and shop throughout the month to ensure consistent access to fresh foods.
My county worker told me that u need to have submitted ur SAR7 on time to get the emergency allotment!!!!! I was late with mine last month and she said im not eligible. Has anyone else heard this??
That's not accurate information. The emergency allotment due to the flooding disaster declaration is available to all active CalFresh recipients regardless of reporting status. The only requirement is that you have an active case for the month of May 2025. Your worker might be confusing this with the regular CalFresh rules. If your case is active (even if you submitted your SAR7 late but it was processed), you should still receive the emergency allotment.
I wanted to follow up about the immediate need payment I mentioned. When you call, specifically say: "I'm requesting an immediate need payment due to an emergency food situation. I'm 39 weeks pregnant with less than 3 days worth of food in my home." They should take your information and escalate it. If they try to brush you off, mention California MPP Section 63-804 which covers immediate need procedures. Also, write down the name of everyone you speak with, along with date and time. This creates accountability.
Update from my earlier comment - I just realized you may also qualify for the CalFresh Pregnancy Special Situation. In California, pregnant women who meet income guidelines can receive benefits as a household of 2 even before the baby is born. Make sure your worker knows you're pregnant (medical verification may be required). This should increase your benefit amount once approved.
Thank you! The worker did ask about my pregnancy during the interview, and I provided my medical verification from my OB. She did mention something about calculating benefits differently because I'm pregnant, but honestly I was so stressed during the interview I don't remember all the details. Just need to get APPROVED first before worrying about the amount!
Kristian Bishop
Just went through this headache last week! First, P-EBT and regular EBT are totally different systems even though the cards look similar. Update your address with: 1. Your child's school (most important) 2. P-EBT hotline (877-328-9677) When calling, I selected option 4 then option 2. Waited about 35 minutes. Definitely use the P-EBT card number when they ask, not your regular EBT. Also discovered that if you also have regular CalFresh, you need to update that address separately through your county office or BenefitsCal. The systems don't talk to each other which is so frustrating!
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Chloe Zhang
•Thank you so much! I'll definitely update with the school first. I do have regular CalFresh too, so I'll make sure to update both systems. Appreciate everyone's help!
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Brandon Parker
wat if u lost the pebt card? my kids got them last year but i think i threw them out cuz i didnt know wat they were lol
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Adriana Cohn
•If you lost the P-EBT cards, call the same hotline (877-328-9677) but select the option for lost/stolen card instead. They'll ask for your children's information (name, DOB, school) to look up the accounts. They can issue replacement cards to your updated address.
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