THEY BETTER NOT SEND NEW CARDS!!!! I've kept every P-EBT card since the program started and they've ALWAYS loaded the new benefits on the original card. If they suddenly change this policy without proper notification, thousands of families will miss out on benefits they're entitled to. The state is already doing a terrible job communicating about this program. My daughter's school never even sent out the email about 2025 eligibility - I only found out through a Facebook group for parents!

Just to clarify some confusion I'm seeing in this thread: 1. For P-EBT 2025, they will attempt to load benefits on existing cards first 2. New cards are only issued if: - Your previous card is reported lost/stolen - Your card has been inactive for 365+ days - Your address has changed and been updated in the system - You're new to the program entirely The P-EBT and CalFresh cards look different (P-EBT is white with a blue stripe, CalFresh is the golden State of California design), but they're both managed through the same EBT contractor and customer service system. P-EBT benefits for 2025 are being issued between April-June depending on your county and school district. Some counties are receiving benefits in waves based on the first letter of the child's last name. If you need to update your address or report a lost card, calling the EBT Customer Service number is correct (though as others have mentioned, wait times can be extremely long).

Just wanted to update everyone - I called the P-EBT customer service department to ask about the high call volume issues. They confirmed they're experiencing an unprecedented number of calls due to the new summer P-EBT issuance that just went out to about 400,000 households in California. They're adding additional staff to handle calls but recommend: 1. Calling between 7-8am or 6-7pm 2. Having all info ready (card number, child DOB, zip) 3. Making sure you're calling the specific P-EBT number, not the regular EBT line They also mentioned that the new card PIN setup can be done through the ConnectEBT app for P-EBT cards issued after March 2025. If you received your card recently, check if your card number starts with 5077 18XX (these newer cards can use the app for activation).

UPDATE: Success! I tried calling at 7:01am this morning and got through immediately! The whole process took less than 5 minutes once I had someone on the line. My benefits are now active and I can see them in the ConnectEBT app. For anyone still struggling, definitely try right when they open at 7am. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!

This whole P-EBT thing is SO CONFUSING!!! Last year they said my kids qualified, then we never got cards, then they said we didn't qualify, then 6 months later random cards showed up in the mail!!! The government needs to make this WAYYY more clear instead of leaving parents guessing about whether they'll get help feeding their kids!!

Just to clarify some confusion I'm seeing in this thread: 1. P-EBT eligibility is determined at both the SCHOOL level and the STUDENT level 2. For 2025, schools must participate in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program 3. Students must either qualify for free/reduced meals individually OR attend a school that uses CEP/Provision 2 4. Not all students at a qualifying school will receive P-EBT (unless it's a CEP school) The reason there's no public list is that eligibility can change throughout the year as schools update their participation status and as students' meal eligibility changes. Your school nutrition department will have the most up-to-date information.

I didn't know about this program for months either. And when I did find out it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to use because the only farmers market near me with the match program was only open Tuesdays from 10-2pm when I'm at work! So frustrating. Like they design these programs to help but make them so hard to actually use.

One more important thing to note: The incentive program (whatever it's called in your area) has a monthly cap - usually between $25-$60 depending on your household size. So for example, if your household gets a maximum of $40 in matching funds per month, and you spend $50 on fruits and vegetables at a participating market, you'd only get $40 in additional benefits, not the full $50. The match resets at the beginning of each benefit month. Also, the match only applies to fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables without added sugar, fat, or salt - not other items you might buy with your regular CalFresh.

This is a common concern but nothing to worry about. Here's how the CalFresh EBT system works: 1. Your benefits are automatically loaded based on your case number's last digit (determines your issuance date) 2. PIN changes only affect how you access those funds, not the issuance 3. The security breach notification was important to address, so you did the right thing changing your PIN Your benefits should load on schedule tomorrow. If for any reason they don't, it would be unrelated to your PIN change. You can always check your balance and transaction history at www.ebt.ca.gov or through the ConnectEBT mobile app.

Wait, there was a security breach?? I didnt get any notice about this! Should I change my PIN too? How do I know if I was affected? Now I'm worried...