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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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The one thing I haven't seen anyone mention - make sure to apply at the office in the county where you're CURRENTLY staying, not based on any previous address. CalFresh is county-administered, and each county has slightly different processes. If you apply to the wrong county, it can cause delays. Also, when they ask for an address, you can: 1. Use "homeless/car" as your living situation 2. Provide a mailing address (maybe a friend's place or general delivery at post office) 3. Ask if you can pick up your EBT card at the office rather than have it mailed For your child with autism - there's a program called IHSS (In-Home Supportive Services) where YOU can actually become a paid caregiver for your child with special needs. Worth asking about at the same time you apply for CalFresh.
This is great advice about applying in the current county. Also worth noting - while CalFresh benefits can be used immediately once approved, the physical EBT card delivery can sometimes take 7-10 days if mailed. That's why picking it up at the office is usually faster for emergency cases.
UPDATE: I went to the county office this morning and applied for emergency CalFresh! The worker was actually really helpful once I explained our situation. I brought our expired out-of-state IDs, birth certificates, and some medical records for the kids, and that was enough. They did an expedited interview right there. We were approved for emergency benefits ($1,750/month for our family size!) and I got a temporary EBT card SAME DAY! The worker also helped me apply for CalWORKs homeless assistance and gave me referrals to several local food pantries. I'm so relieved we'll be able to get food today. Thank you everyone for your advice - it made a huge difference knowing what to ask for!
That's FANTASTIC news! So glad you got same-day benefits. Make sure to follow through with the CalWORKs application too - that can provide cash aid and potentially temporary housing assistance while you get back on your feet. And definitely look into those Regional Center services for your son with autism as someone suggested above.
awesome news!! glad u got help so fast
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UPDATE: Still nothing in today's mail. Getting worried because we've had mail theft in our neighborhood before. Does anyone know if there's a way to check online if cards were mailed? Or request replacements if they were stolen?
There's no online tracking system for P-EBT cards unfortunately. If you believe your cards were stolen, you'll need to wait until November 1st (when all Phase 3 counties should have completed distribution) and then call the P-EBT hotline to report non-receipt and request replacements. Make sure you have your children's student ID numbers and school information handy when you call.
When you finally get your cards, remember to create a PIN immediately! The cards are useless until you activate them with a PIN. Call the number on the back of the card to set it up. I learned this the hard way standing embarrassed at checkout when my daughter's card kept getting declined. 🤦♀️
Good tip! I'll make sure to do that right away. Do the benefits expire if you don't use them quickly?
P-EBT 3.0 benefits will remain available for 274 days (about 9 months) from the date they're issued. So you don't need to rush to spend them, but do activate the cards right away so they're ready when you need them.
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make sure u tell them about the cooking situation too. my worker said specifically that sharing food preparation is what makes u a "calfresh household" not just living together. good luck!!
Thanks for this! Yes, we definitely share cooking - my grandmother makes most of our meals actually, so I'll make sure to mention that specifically.
also if they have any medical expenses make sure to report those! seniors and disabled ppl get special deductions for medical costs over $35 a month which could mean more benefits for ur household!
Oh wow I had no idea! My grandfather has several prescriptions he pays for monthly that aren't covered by insurance. This is really helpful info!
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Just checking in - did your benefits post yet? Several people in my building had theirs show up early this morning (around 4am).
Aiden Rodríguez
Just wanted to add another thought - check if you're eligible for the utility allowance. In California, there's a Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) of about $487 for 2025 that can be deducted from your income when calculating CalFresh benefits if you pay for heating or cooling separately from your rent. There's also a Limited Utility Allowance (LUA) if you have at least two non-heating/cooling utility bills. These allowances could help offset the reduction from increased Social Security income.
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Maya Patel
•I think I'm already getting the SUA because I pay electric separately from my rent. I remember seeing that on my approval letter. But I definitely need to add the medical expenses - that could make a real difference.
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Emma Garcia
its so weird how different counties handle this stuff too!! my friend in alameda county gets more calfresh than me even tho we have almost identical income?? makes no sense
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Aiden Rodríguez
•The benefit calculation should be the same across counties since CalFresh is a federal program (SNAP) administered at the state level. The difference could be due to variations in reported expenses, household size, or perhaps your friend has deductions you don't (like the medical expense deduction we've been discussing). Different counties shouldn't result in different benefit amounts if all other factors are equal.
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