California CalFresh
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Can changing EBT PIN before benefits load prevent theft? Had CalFresh stolen last month
Had the worst experience last month when someone somehow stole all my CalFresh benefits off my EBT card the same day they were loaded! I reported it to the fraud department but they said I probably won't get those benefits back. I'm a single mom with 2 kids and we really struggled without that food assistance. My benefits are supposed to load again in 3 days and I'm scared it'll happen again. Does anyone know if changing your PIN BEFORE the benefits are loaded helps prevent theft? I didn't give my information to anyone and I'm super careful with my card, so I don't know how they got it. Really need to make sure my $780 in benefits doesn't disappear again.
Join the conversation
Used CalFresh EBT to buy baby formula instead of WIC - Is selling it illegal?
So I messed up pretty badly yesterday at Target. I accidentally used my CalFresh EBT card to purchase my baby's formula ($89) instead of my WIC benefits which are supposed to cover it. I didn't realize until I got home and checked my EBT balance. Now I'm stuck because I've heard Target just throws away returned formula (food safety policy?), and I can't afford to waste that much of my food budget on formula when WIC would have covered it. Would I get in trouble with the CalFresh program if I tried to sell the unopened formula to recoup some money? Or would that count as trafficking benefits? Not trying to do anything sketchy, just trying to fix my mistake without wasting food or money. Has anyone dealt with this before?
Join the conversation
can u use the formula for ur baby and then use the wic for next month? thats what id do tbh
My baby goes through formula pretty fast so I'd still need to buy more before next month, but that's definitely an option if the other suggestions don't work out. Thanks!
Just to summarize the best options based on everyone's advice: 1. Contact Target to see if they'll process a special return/repurchase with your WIC card 2. Call your WIC office to see if they can adjust next month's benefits 3. Contact your CalFresh worker to explain the situation 4. Use the formula and adjust your budget for the month The most important thing is NOT to sell or exchange the formula for cash, as that could result in program violations. These programs take trafficking very seriously, and the consequences can be severe (disqualification periods of 1 year or more).
Thank you so much for laying out all the options! I'll try calling Target first thing tomorrow, and if that doesn't work, I'll contact my WIC office. I appreciate everyone's help - definitely won't risk selling it now that I understand the potential consequences.
Missing January P-EBT benefits - card shows $0 after holidays?
Hey everyone, I'm really confused and starting to worry. I checked my P-EBT card yesterday (Jan 12) and there's absolutely nothing on there for January. My kids (7 and 9) definitely qualify for the school lunch program, and we've been getting the P-EBT benefits consistently until now. I was counting on this month's benefits for groceries since I'm between jobs right now. The December payment loaded right after Christmas, but January is just showing $0. Is anyone else experiencing this? Do the January benefits come later in the month? I tried calling the county office yesterday but got stuck in that horrible automated system for 40 minutes before I had to pick my kids up from school. Any advice would be really appreciated!!
Join the conversation
guys make sure ur also checking the right card!! i was checking my regular ebt for days and panicking but then realized p-ebt is on that SEPERATE blue card they sent us last year lol felt like such an idiot
omg i just checked and youre right!!! mine was there all along!! THANK YOU!!!!!
I'm definitely checking the blue P-EBT card, but still nothing there. Glad it worked out for you though!
UPDATE: My benefits just loaded this morning!!! $188 for each of my kids! So relieved. Looks like they're just rolling them out gradually like you all said. Thanks everyone for your help and support!
Great news! Glad it worked out. The system may have its flaws, but at least the benefits do come through eventually.
Moved to California mid-2020 - am I eligible for CalFresh pandemic relief payments?
I moved from Colorado to California in June 2020 and have been really confused about relief payments. When Colorado sent out their state stimulus payments, I didn't get anything. Then when California issued the Golden State Stimulus, I never received that either even though I filed my taxes showing I moved to California in June 2020. Now I'm hearing about some CalFresh pandemic relief payment that's coming soon? Does anyone know if I would qualify since I wasn't in California for the full 2020 year? I'm currently on CalFresh benefits (got approved in 2022) but don't know if these retroactive payments apply to me. Not sure which office to even call about this... the regular CalFresh number just puts me on hold forever!
Join the conversation
THIS IS WHY THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! They never properly communicate about benefits. They expect people to magically know which programs they qualify for and how to apply. Then when you try to call, you're stuck in an endless hold loop. I've been on CalFresh for 5 years and STILL don't understand half the programs. The EBT website is from 1995 I swear!!
seriously!! and every county has different rules and systems too. my friend in alameda county has a totally different experience than me in san diego.
One important thing to understand is that California has residency requirements for most benefit programs. For the Golden State Stimulus specifically, you needed to be a California resident for more than half of the 2020 tax year. Since you moved in June, that's right at the halfway mark, and it would depend on exactly which date in June you established residency. For CalFresh eligibility, residency isn't about how long you've lived in California but simply that you currently live here. The emergency allotments that were added during COVID would have been applied automatically to your EBT card if you were receiving CalFresh at that time. If you have specific questions about your eligibility for past benefits, I'd recommend reaching out to your county CalFresh office with your case number ready. They can see your specific history and eligibility in their system.
Thanks for this thorough explanation. I moved on June 15th, so I guess that's why I missed out on the Golden State Stimulus. I didn't start receiving CalFresh until 2022, so I missed the emergency allotments too. At least now I understand why!
Are emergency CalFresh allotments ($95 extra) still being issued in April 2025?
My client is confused about whether she's getting an extra CalFresh payment this month. I thought the emergency allotments (extra $95 minimum) ended back in March 2025, but then she showed me a text from her friend saying the March emergency allotment is actually being paid in April. Does anyone know if this is accurate? I've checked the CDSS website but couldn't find clear information. Has the emergency allotment program been extended again or is her friend mixing things up with regular benefits? Don't want to give my client incorrect information when she's counting on that money for groceries.
Join the conversation
this is why i hate dealing with the system... i got a letter saying my calfresh was going up then another saying it was going down and now its just confusing. my neighbor said shes getting the extra money next week so now idk what to believe lol
To clarify for everyone: The federal legislation that authorized Emergency Allotments for CalFresh (minimum $95 extra per household) officially ended them after March 2025. Here's what's happening: 1. March 2025 was the FINAL month for emergency allotments 2. Some counties issue benefits for a month during the first week of the following month (so March benefits in early April) 3. This is why some people received their final emergency allotment in April 4. There will NOT be any emergency allotments for April or any month after If you need help with getting more benefits due to changed circumstances, you can submit: - A SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) if it's your reporting month - A "Change Report" through your BenefitsCal account or county office if you've had increased expenses or decreased income - A request for reassessment if you have new medical expenses or dependent care costs You can verify all this information on the CDSS website or by contacting your county office.
This is extremely helpful - thank you for the clear breakdown. I'll share this information with my client so she can understand exactly what's happening with the program ending.
oh wow that actually makes sense now thanks for explaining it so clearly!
Sophia Russo
Has anyone tried the new PIN-less EBT cards some counties were testing? My sister says they're using biometric verification instead of PINs but I can't find ANY information about it on the CalFresh website! Seems like they're keeping it quiet but it would solve all these theft problems!
0 coins
Olivia Van-Cleve
There are currently no PIN-less or biometric EBT cards being tested in California's CalFresh program. All EBT cards still require a 4-digit PIN for security. You might be confusing this with some pilot programs for mobile EBT that allow you to use your phone for transactions, but these still require PIN verification. It's important not to spread misinformation about security features that don't exist yet.
0 coins
Natalie Adams
I just wanted to update everyone - I changed my PIN yesterday and also ordered those RFID blocking sleeves. I'm going to change my PIN again the day before benefits load just to be extra safe. Thank you all for the advice! I'll let you know if it helps prevent theft this month.
0 coins
Mason Kaczka
good luck!! hope it works for u
0 coins