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Just wanted to update everyone - my emergency allotment just hit my EBT card today (Feb 15th)! Checked my balance this morning and it wasn't there, then checked again after dinner and the extra amount had been added. So for anyone else waiting in LA County, they're processing them now!
My sister works for Sacramento County and she told me emergency allotments happen the same days for all counties, it's just that they spread them out over a few days so the system doesn't crash. She said to always count on it being between the 15th-18th every month. The emergency allotments are all done through the same state computer system, not individual counties. Hope that helps!
Oh that makes sense about spreading them out! I was wondering why some people get them on different days. My friend and I both have CalFresh in the same county but almost always get our emergency amounts on different days, even though our regular benefits come on the same day. The system is so confusing sometimes!
my kid's card came with wrong name on it!! they spelled his last name wrong and now i gotta go thru this whole process again smh the system is such a mess
hey did ur kids get the same amount on their cards or different? my caseworker said something about an allotment per person but i didn't really understand how they calculate it
CalFresh benefits are calculated for the entire household, then typically loaded onto the primary cardholder's EBT card. If additional household members have their own cards, they're usually all linked to the same account and share the total household benefit. The calculation is based on household size, income, and eligible deductions. Each person doesn't get a separate "allotment" - instead, the total household benefit is what matters. You can give each person access to whatever portion of the total you want by requesting separate cards, but they all draw from the same monthly benefit amount.
Everyone has given you great advice about getting diapers, but I also wanted to mention - if you're tight on food budget because of spending so much on diapers, you might qualify for more CalFresh benefits than you're currently receiving. When they calculated your benefits, did you make sure to report all your medical expenses related to your daughter's condition? These are deductible for CalFresh purposes and can increase your benefit amount. When it's time for your next SAR7 or recertification, bring documentation of all medical expenses (including travel to medical appointments, special dietary needs, prescriptions, etc.) and make sure your eligibility worker counts them as deductions. This won't help with diapers directly but might give you more food benefits to offset some of your other costs. Also, don't forget to check with her medical specialists - sometimes they have access to foundation grants specifically for families in situations like yours.
Wow, I had NO idea we could count medical expenses for CalFresh! We're spending about $400/month on her medications and special foods that insurance doesn't fully cover, plus all the gas driving to specialists in the city (about 70 miles each way). Our recertification is actually next month so this is perfect timing. Thank you so much for this information!
ok so i just got off the phone with ebt customer service and they confirmed this is real! i had to wait on hold for 55 minutes just to talk to someone. they said there are multiple fake apps out there right now and they're working with the fraud department to shut them down. stay safe everyone!!
Dylan Cooper
To add to the great resources already mentioned, you might also consider: 1. Eastbay Diaper Bank - They work through partner agencies in Contra Costa County 2. Applying for Emergency CalFresh if you haven't already - while it won't cover diapers, it might free up some money in your budget. Expedited services can provide benefits within 3 days if you qualify. 3. Healthy Families America home visiting program through Contra Costa Health Services - they sometimes have emergency supplies 4. The National Diaper Bank Network has a locator tool on their website that might show additional resources Remember that if you're working with limited income, you should definitely explore CalWORKs eligibility since it provides cash aid that can be used for necessities like diapers. The program limits increased in 2025, so you might qualify even if you didn't before.
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Jamal Wilson
•Thank you! I've already got regular CalFresh but I'll look into all these options. I appreciate everyone being so helpful - I was feeling really alone in this situation this morning.
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GalacticGuru
one more tip: join the 'buy nothing pittsburg/antioch' group on facebook. i see people giving away opened packages of diapers all the time when their kids outgrow sizes. helped me bridge the gap a few times!
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Jamal Wilson
•That's a great idea! Just requested to join the group. Thanks!
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