Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
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
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
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.
An incredibly helpful service
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
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!
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 :)
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Diez Ellis
wait wut?? u guys getting EXTRA calfresh cause of wildfires?? im in sacramento county and didnt hear anything about this. how do u qualify? and does any1 know if its coming to other counties? my benefits barely cover half the month with these crazy food prices nowadays 😩
Jenna Sloan
•The wildfire emergency allotments are only for residents of the 7 counties with FEMA disaster declarations (Shasta, Lassen, Plumas, Butte, Tehama, Trinity, and Siskiyou counties). Sacramento County isn't included in this particular disaster relief program. However, if you're struggling with your current benefit amount, I'd recommend submitting a SAR7 or mid-period report if you've had any changes that might increase your benefits - like higher rent/utilities costs, decreased income, or additional household members.
Just wanted to update - my emergency allotment just posted to my account about 10 minutes ago (Monday 11:45pm). Looks like they're processing them late tonight. Maybe check your accounts again?
YES! Just checked and mine came through too! Thank you everyone for the help and saving me from a total panic. This group is amazing!
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Emma Davis
UPDATE: My emergency allotment just posted today (the 21st)! It was 5 days late but finally showed up. For anyone else waiting, hang in there - looks like there really was just a delay.
Ravi Patel
•yay!!! that's great news! gonna check mine now!!
LunarLegend
•Mine came through too! Thanks for updating us!
Glad to hear your benefits came through! For future reference, if delays happen again, you can request an emergency replacement benefit if you're in a crisis situation. You'd need to submit a form stating you have less than 3 days of food available. The county is required to process these requests within 3 business days. Also, everyone should be aware that based on current legislation, emergency allotments are scheduled to end in June 2025, unless Congress extends them again. Start planning ahead for that possibility.
Emma Davis
•I had no idea about the emergency replacement option! And thanks for the heads up about June 2025. That's going to hit a lot of families hard if they don't extend it. My family relies on that extra amount to make it through the month.
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Lauren Wood
after i got my benefits stolen i started taking ALL my money out the DAY it hits my account!!! its the only way to be safe. my friend works at target and says they see the same people coming in with different ebt cards all the time buying expensive stuff. the system is broken!!!!!
Kylo Ren
•While I understand your concern, withdrawing all benefits immediately isn't necessarily the best approach. The EBT system creates a digital record of withdrawals that helps in fraud investigations. A better approach is to change your PIN frequently and check your balance regularly. Also, CalFresh food benefits can't be withdrawn as cash - they must be used for food purchases.
Dylan Baskin
Thanks everyone for all this information! I called my sister and told her about the 30-day reporting window and the documentation she needs. She's going to try that Claimyr service to get through to her worker today. I'm going to change my PIN right now and will start checking my balance every day. It's really scary to think both food and cash benefits can be stolen so easily. Hopefully the county will help her get at least some of it back. I really appreciate all your responses!
Kylo Ren
•You're welcome! One more tip: when you create your new PIN, avoid using sequential numbers (1234), repeated numbers (1111), or personal dates. Thieves often try these common PINs first. And remind your sister to request a new card entirely, not just a new PIN on her existing card.
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This whole system is BROKEN!!! I called my county and the worker told me THREE different things in the same conversation about when we'll get the emergency benefits. First she said it was automatic, then she said I needed to apply, then she put me on hold and came back saying I needed to upload documents to prove the losses but couldn't tell me WHICH DOCUMENTS!! I've completely given up hope that we'll ever see this money. The CalFresh system is an absolute JOKE!!
Amina Bah
•I understand your frustration. Unfortunately, the county workers are sometimes confused about disaster protocols themselves because these emergency programs aren't implemented often. For documenting losses, typically you'd need receipts for replacement food, hotel stays if you evacuated, or repair bills if your home was damaged. If you don't have receipts, a written self-declaration of losses is usually accepted. You might have better luck going in person to your county office with whatever documentation you do have, rather than calling. The in-person workers often have more training on disaster procedures.
Amina Bah
UPDATE for everyone: Just saw on the CDSS website that they've extended the application period for Disaster CalFresh through the end of the month. If you're in an affected area and haven't applied yet, you now have until February 28th, 2025. Also, they've posted a list of all eligible zip codes on the BenefitsCal home page under emergency alerts. The supplemental payments for existing CalFresh recipients should all be issued by the 22nd according to the latest update.
Paolo Marino
•Thank you so much for this update! Really helpful to know exactly when to expect it. I checked and my zip code is listed, so I should be getting something soon. Will keep an eye on my balance.
Tate Jensen
I had this exact same problem last month! I tried with Chase and Wells Fargo and both refused. Ended up going to my local credit union (Golden 1) and they were super helpful. Not only did they sign the direct deposit form, but the customer service rep actually called my county worker WITH ME to verify all the information was correct. My direct deposit for CalWORKs started on the very next payment cycle. I also learned you can check the status of your direct deposit change by logging into BenefitsCal and looking under "Payment Information" once you're logged in. It will show if your account is pending verification or active.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•This is so helpful! There's a Golden 1 near me too. Did you need to open a new account with them first or did you already have one? And how long did the whole process take you from filling out the form to getting it approved?
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Tate Jensen
•I already had an account with them, but they told me the process is really easy to open one (just need ID and like $25 to start). From submitting the form to getting approval was about 8 days, and then the deposit came on schedule the following week. So about 2 weeks total from start to finish.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
Update: I went to Bank of America today and they signed my form no problem! The banker even helped me fill out some parts I wasn't sure about. I'm submitting it to the county office tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your help! And special thanks for clarifying that this is for my CalWORKs, not CalFresh. Still learning all the terminology lol.
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Adaline Wong
•Excellent! Make sure to follow up with your county worker in about 7-10 days if you don't see the change reflected in your BenefitsCal account. Sometimes these forms get backlogged during busy months. If you have trouble reaching someone, that's when Claimyr can be particularly helpful for avoiding the long hold times.
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