My kids got theirs but I'm confused about something else - can this P-EBT be used the same as regular EBT? Like at farmers markets for the matching program?

Just wanted to update everyone - my cards finally came today! Both kids got separate cards, and they had different amounts ($425 for my 5-year-old and $375 for my 3-year-old). So they are definitely still sending them out. Check your mail carefully because the envelope looks like junk mail - very plain with just a PO Box return address.

Anyone else notice that the eligibility rules keep changing? For the first round of P-EBT in 2022 you needed like 5+ excused absences, then in 2023 it was any absences related to Covid, now in 2025 nobody seems to know what the actual criteria are. My kids' school sent home a flyer that said one thing, the website says another, and the phone reps say something completely different. And it's not like we're getting enough CalFresh to begin with in this economy...

Update: I finally got some answers! I talked to our school's nutrition services coordinator this morning, and she was super helpful. Turns out there was a data entry error where my daughter's student ID was entered incorrectly when they submitted records to the state. They're sending a correction form, but she said it might take 4-6 weeks to process. She also confirmed my son shouldn't be eligible based on attendance, so that's still a mystery. Thank you all for your suggestions and support - this community has been so helpful when navigating these confusing systems!

Just to clarify something important: P-EBT money doesn't expire as quickly as regular CalFresh. Regular CalFresh benefits expire after 9 months of non-use, but P-EBT funds remain available for 274 days (about 9 months) from the date of issue. This gives families more flexibility to use the benefits when needed most.

@FedUpMom22 - Regular CalFresh benefits actually stay on your card for 9 months before expiring (not 3 months). P-EBT benefits stay on the card for about 9 months from the issue date too. Neither expires after just 3 months. The confusion might be because they used to send notices about using your oldest benefits first within 3 months, but that was just a recommendation, not an expiration notice.

To be specific about your question - YES, this is self-employment income for CalFresh purposes. Here's exactly what you need to do: 1. Keep tracking ALL income and expenses until recertification 2. Only report before recertification if your TOTAL household income exceeds your IRT (this is on your approval notice, usually around 130% of the Federal Poverty Level) 3. For recertification, you'll complete a Self-Employment worksheet (ask for one if they don't provide it) 4. You'll need to show GROSS income (before expenses) and then all allowable business expenses 5. Allowable expenses include: supplies, tools, business insurance, transportation to job sites (mileage or actual gas costs), advertising, and any other direct business costs CalFresh will then calculate your NET self-employment income (after expenses) and only count that toward your household income. This often results in much lower countable income than people expect. One last tip: When doing your SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report), if they ask about income changes, be sure to explain the variable nature of the landscaping work so they understand why amounts fluctuate.

On a related note - have you considered applying for CalWORKs too? If your income is low enough for CalFresh, you might qualify for cash aid as well, especially with children in the household. The self-employment rules are similar.

I want to add some clarification: While CalFresh 4.0 benefits are limited to children under 6, there are other programs that might help with your teenager. Your 16-year-old may qualify for free school meals, and some districts have expanded after-school meal programs. Also, when calculating your regular CalFresh benefits, teenagers are actually factored in at a higher rate than younger children because of their increased nutritional needs. So while there's no special supplement labeled specifically for teens, their higher food requirements are considered in your total household benefit calculation.

Wait I'm confused are these 4.0 benefits automatic? I have a 4 year old and didn't notice any extra on my EBT this month...should I be calling somebody? How much extra is it supposed to be?