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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!
a friend told me u can also try calling ur kids school district office sometimes they have a pebt coordinator who can check on card status. worked for her but not me lol worth a try tho
I didn't think of that! Will definitely call the district office tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!
UPDATE: I finally got through to P-EBT this morning using the Claimyr service that was mentioned earlier. Confirmed that cards for my 3 kids were mailed on March 12th as I thought, but the representative said there have been massive mail delays with this batch. She's sending replacement cards and canceling the old ones just in case. Should arrive within 10-15 business days. Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions! Will update when the new cards arrive.
This happened to my sister too!!! She never got her benefits back tho cuz she waited too long to report it!! Make sure u do the police report ASAP!! There's like a 30 day window or something
UPDATE: I filed the police report this morning (they gave me a case number) and finally got through to P-EBT customer service using that Claimyr service someone suggested. The rep confirmed I need to submit Form PEBT-10 with the police report number and proof of my current address. She said processing takes around 2-3 months but the full benefit amount ($1,465) should be replaced if my claim is approved. Thanks everyone for the guidance - will update again when I hear something!
so glad u got thru to them!! did they say anything about if the person who stole ur benefits will get in trouble??
The P-EBT rep said they don't handle the legal side of things directly, but the police report gets forwarded to a benefits fraud investigation unit. The officer I talked to at the police station said these cases are prosecuted when they have clear evidence of who did it (like if it was a specific person at my old address). Fingers crossed they figure it out AND I get the benefits replaced!
Based on recent patterns, this is a system-wide delay affecting the supplemental allotments. The standard benefits should be unaffected and delivered on your regular issuance date. These delays typically resolve within 2-3 business days. If you're experiencing financial hardship while waiting, some counties offer emergency allotments - you can request this through your county office if the delay extends beyond 3 business days. Most importantly, this doesn't indicate any problem with your ongoing eligibility.
Yara Khalil
my friend who works for the county says theres talk about inflation increases to calfresh coming soon maybe next years benefits will go up alittle fingers crossed
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Paolo Esposito
•I'll believe that when I see it! They always TALK about helping but then nothing happens! Meanwhile grocery prices keep going UP!
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LunarEclipse
Just to clarify something important - your regular CalFresh benefits DO increase each year with the cost of living adjustment (COLA). This usually happens in October. Last October (2024), benefits increased by about 3%. While this doesn't fully cover inflation for many families, there is an automatic annual adjustment. And yes, definitely report your rent increase - shelter costs are a major factor in benefit calculation.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•I had no idea benefits increase automatically each year, even a little bit helps. I'm going to report my rent increase tomorrow and see if that helps my situation. Thanks for all the information, everyone!
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