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UPDATE: Called my county worker this morning and they confirmed there's been a bunch of reports about the EBT system showing phantom PIN changes from 11/30! Apparently it was a system update that incorrectly displayed as PIN changes to users. My benefits were deposited normally today and I can access them with my PIN. So relieved!!! Still glad I changed my PIN just to be safe though. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
UPDATE: I checked my BenefitsCal messages and there was a notice about the wildfire emergency allotment! It was dated yesterday even though the money came in last night. Says it's a one-time payment for households in the affected areas. So looks like we're good to use it! Thanks everyone for your help figuring this out.
I called my caseworker and finally got through! She confirmed it's disaster assistance and is 100% ours to keep. NOT an error. Anyone in the affected zip codes should have gotten it automatically. If you didn't get it but think you should have, you need to call and request it specifically - mention "wildfire emergency allotment" and they'll check your eligibility. So relieved!
ALSO another thing they dont tell u is that u HAVE TO activate the card within 30 days of getting it or they can deactivate it!!! happened to my cousin last year and was HUGE headache to fix. the activate number is on sticker on card
Just to prevent panic: You don't have to activate P-EBT cards within 30 days of receiving them. The cards remain valid for one year after issuance. You should activate them when you receive them, but there's no 30-day deactivation policy. What can happen is if you report a card lost/stolen and then find the original, the original will be deactivated 30 days after reporting it lost. The confusion might be from the regular EBT card policy, which does require contact with the card within 365 days to keep it active. P-EBT follows different rules.
btw those two November deposits are probably for different things - like one might be the base benefit and the other could be a supplement. P-EBT is super confusing that way. My daughter's card had some weird split payments too.
After seeing all these responses, I want to clarify something important: P-EBT is NOT the same program as CalFresh, although both use EBT cards. P-EBT is specifically for school-aged children to replace school meals during eligible periods. The current 2025-2026 P-EBT program issues benefits quarterly, not monthly. The payments you received are likely just the first installment, with more scheduled for February and May 2026. If you need definitive answers, I recommend: 1. Check the P-EBT portal at ca.p-ebt.org and create an account if you haven't 2. Contact your child's school nutrition services department 3. Call the P-EBT hotline at 877-328-9677 (though getting through can be difficult) You can also contact your county CalFresh office, but be aware that some county workers aren't fully trained on P-EBT details since it's administered separately from regular CalFresh benefits.
Paolo Conti
The $95 minimum emergency allotment ended last year BUT some counties are still doing adjustments and retroactive payments for periods when the allotments were active. My sister just got a retro payment last month for a period when she was underpaid during 2022. Maybe that's what your worker was referring to?
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Miguel Ortiz
•That makes sense! I did have an issue with my benefits calculation back in November when I started a new job. Maybe she was talking about a correction for that period. I really hope that's the case.
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Connor Murphy
After reading through all the comments, it sounds like your caseworker might have been referring to a retroactive adjustment rather than a current emergency allotment. I'd suggest: 1. Using the Claimyr service mentioned to get through to a live person 2. Asking specifically about any "pending adjustments" or "benefit corrections" on your case 3. Request they check if there are any supplements scheduled to be issued 4. If there was a miscommunication, ask about emergency food resources in your area that could help this month Also, with your rent increase, you should report that change as it might qualify you for increased regular benefits going forward.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thank you SO much for this detailed advice! I used Claimyr and finally got through to my county worker. You were right - she was referring to a retroactive correction for November-December when they calculated my benefits wrong after my job change. She said it's still being processed and should arrive within 10 days. I also reported my rent increase and they'll recalculate my regular benefits. What a relief to finally get answers!
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