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This system is DESIGNED to fail us. They make everything so complicated that people give up. I had benefits stolen TWICE last year and the second time they accused ME of fraud for a while! Meanwhile my kids were hungry and we almost got evicted too. The whole "wait patiently" thing is BS when rent is due and kids need to eat. The county workers sit comfortably in their offices while we struggle. I'm so angry for you.
Exactly. And the most frustrating part is that different workers tell you different things! One says "file this form" then the next says "that's the wrong form." It's like they make it confusing on purpose.
Following up on my earlier comment - I want to add a critical detail about eviction prevention. When you go to request the Homeless Assistance payment, make sure to specifically ask for the "Permanent Housing Assistance" option, not just temporary. This can provide: - Up to two months of back rent ($3,000 maximum) - Security deposit coverage for new housing if needed - Utility deposit assistance You need to bring: - Your eviction notice - Rental agreement - Proof of the CalWORKs theft report - Statement from landlord of exact amount owed One final tip: If the county office is slow-walking your theft claim, immediately ask to speak with a supervisor and use the phrase "expedited fair hearing request" - this triggers a faster review process under California Department of Social Services regulations.
This is gold!! Thank you so much. No one at the county office mentioned ANY of these options to me. I'm going first thing tomorrow with all these documents. I really appreciate everyone's help - I was feeling so alone in this fight.
I thought P-EBT was done after the pandemic?? We haven't received anything on my kids cards for months and I assumed the program ended. Now I'm confused about whether we should be getting something or not. They're at a school where everyone gets free lunch.
P-EBT has been extended but with modifications. The program was originally pandemic-related, but it's now continuing as part of expanded nutrition assistance efforts. If your children attend a CEP school (Community Eligibility Provision) where everyone gets free lunch, they should qualify. I'd recommend checking if your P-EBT cards are still active and that your address is updated with the school. Sometimes benefits don't load if they have outdated contact information.
UPDATE: I called the P-EBT hotline (took forever to get through) and they confirmed what you all said. The $175 is a combined payment for the first quarter of the school year, and the next payment won't come until December. The representative said they sent notices about this change in July but many people didn't receive them due to a mailing error. Thanks everyone for your help!
thx for updating us! i never got any notice either, weird how they mess up something that important lol. at least we know now!
Important reminder for everyone receiving P-EBT cards: These benefits will EXPIRE if not used within 274 days (about 9 months) from issuance. Don't set it aside and forget about it! Also, P-EBT has fewer restrictions than regular CalFresh - you CAN purchase hot prepared foods with P-EBT at any location that accepts EBT.
wait REALLY?? u can buy hot food with the p-ebt but not regular ebt? thats so backwards! so i can get my kid a rotisserie chicken with his p-ebt but cant buy one with my regular calfresh?? make it make sense 🙄
Yep, it's confusing! P-EBT was created with different rules during the pandemic. Regular CalFresh has the hot food restriction except in counties with disaster waivers. The logic is that P-EBT replaces school meals (which are served hot), while regular CalFresh is for groceries. I agree it's not very logical when you think about it practically!
Update: I called the P-EBT hotline (took forever to get through) and you all were right! The amount is based on actual attendance. My son missed 17 school days due to that pneumonia plus some other absences, and they subtract approximately $8.28 per day missed. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help. Now to figure out what to spend this on since apparently it expires faster than regular benefits!
maybe try calling ur local assemblymembers office? my friend did that when her medi-cal got messed up and they fixed it in like 2 days after she was struggling for months
This is excellent advice. County welfare departments often respond quickly to legislative inquiries. Your state assemblymember or senator's office can submit a formal inquiry that typically gets routed to a specialized team that handles legislative cases. In my experience working with clients, these teams resolve issues much faster than the standard channels.
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone helpful! After trying again this morning (another 45min wait), I spoke with a worker named Melissa who actually took the time to look into my case properly. Turns out there WAS an approved supplemental payment from October, but it was coded incorrectly in their system as an "EA" (emergency allotment) when those no longer exist. It was actually an underpayment adjustment because they had calculated my rent wrong during my August recertification. She's processing it now and said I should see the $235 on my EBT card within 3-5 business days. She also gave me her direct extension to call if it doesn't show up. Thanks everyone for your advice and support through this frustrating process!
Great news! This is exactly why persistence pays off with CalFresh issues. Many workers don't fully understand the difference between various supplemental payments and use outdated terminology, causing confusion. I'm glad you finally got someone knowledgeable who could properly identify the issue.
Libby Hassan
my cousin has 6 kids and they get like $1,900 in calfresh every month! is that normal?? seems like so much but i guess with 8 people total maybe its right?
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Levi Parker
•Yes, that's within the normal range for a household of 8. Maximum monthly benefit for a household of 8 in 2025 is around $1,950. Benefits are calculated based on household size and income after all eligible deductions. Larger families with lower incomes receive more because they have more people to feed.
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Giovanni Martello
Just wanted to update everyone - I called my county office today (took forever to get through) and they confirmed we should still qualify with our new combined income. They said to make sure I submit our updated income info through the SAR7 form when I get it, and to include documentation of our childcare expenses and rent to maximize our deductions. Thanks everyone for your helpful advice!
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