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wait is this the same as regular calfresh ebt? my family gets benefits on the 10th of each month but my neighbors kid got a different card and she said it was some school thing??
No, they're actually different programs. Regular CalFresh EBT benefits come monthly on a schedule based on your case number. P-EBT is specifically for eligible schoolchildren during pandemic-related school closures or limited attendance. The cards look similar but P-EBT cards have the student's name (not the parent's) and are specifically for pandemic food benefits. You can have both programs if you qualify.
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I think I understand now - P-EBT isn't a regular monthly benefit but rather special payments for pandemic-related school disruptions. I'll keep the cards in case future payments are approved, but won't expect monthly reloads like I initially thought. Really appreciate all the clarification!
glad u got ur answer! the whole system is super confusing, ur definitely not the only one who thought they were monthly lol
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Update: My third daughter's P-EBT card just arrived today! So all three cards came within 3 days. Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance. I activated each one as they arrived like someone suggested. The weird thing is my oldest daughter's card has $75 more on it than the other two even though they're all at the same school. Should I question this or just be grateful for the extra funds?
Glad all the cards arrived safely! Regarding the different benefit amounts, if your oldest is in a different grade level, that could explain the variance. Also, if she had perfect attendance while your younger children had some absences, that could affect the benefit calculation. P-EBT benefits are based on school attendance records and meal eligibility days. Unless the difference is extremely large, I wouldn't worry about questioning it. The benefit calculations are done automatically based on data from the schools, and small to moderate variations are normal even among siblings at the same school. If you want to understand exactly how it was calculated, you can check the P-EBT information letter that came with each card, as it sometimes explains the benefit period and calculation method.
Wait are they still giving out P-EBT in 2025?? I thought that was just a COVID thing that ended years ago. My kids haven't gotten any cards lately!
The original P-EBT was for COVID, but they've continued it under a modified program. Not all schools participate now though. Your kids' school might not be part of the program anymore, or maybe they don't qualify for free/reduced lunch? Might be worth asking at the school office.
Yes, they're still issuing them in 2025! My kids' school is part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program where all students get free meals regardless of income. Maybe check if your school participates in that program? The cards really help with our grocery budget.
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honestly im so tired of this garbage system. every single time i need to recertify its the same bs. impossible to reach anyone. documents mysteriously disappearing. getting different answers from different workers. my benefits got cut off TWICE last year despite me submitting everything on time. then i had to reapply from scratch and go 3 weeks without food assistance. the whole system is designed to make us give up.
EXACTLY!!! It feels intentional at this point! Like they WANT us to miss deadlines so they can cut our benefits and save money. My worker literally told me once "we're understaffed" as if that's MY problem when I can't feed my kids???
While the system definitely has issues, I'd encourage you to request a specific eligibility worker to be assigned to your case. You can ask for this when you finally reach someone. Having the same person handle your case each time can eliminate many of these problems and give you a direct contact for future issues.
For your specific situation with the mixed case numbers: When you call tomorrow, ask the worker to create a "Case Linkage Note" in the C-IV/CalSAWS system. This creates a permanent reference between your CalFresh and Medi-Cal cases so future workers can see they belong to the same household even though they have different case numbers. Also request an "Expedited Document Review" of your recertification materials given the system error. This puts your documents in a priority queue rather than the standard processing timeline. These specific requests can help prevent delays in getting your benefits reinstated.
These are EXACTLY the kind of specific terms I needed! The worker I spoke with today was helpful but didn't mention either of these options. I'm writing these down so I know exactly what to ask for tomorrow. Thank you!
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UPDATE: Finally got through to my county office! The worker confirmed I should be getting the Tier 1 supplement of $110/month since I'm a single-person household in San Francisco. She said there was no flag on my case for the regional supplement. She's correcting it and processing backpay for January-March (about $330). Should see it on my EBT card within 3-5 business days.\n\nThanks everyone for your help! I'll update again when I actually see the money on my card.
Carmen Diaz
I want to add some clarification: While CalFresh 4.0 benefits are limited to children under 6, there are other programs that might help with your teenager. Your 16-year-old may qualify for free school meals, and some districts have expanded after-school meal programs. Also, when calculating your regular CalFresh benefits, teenagers are actually factored in at a higher rate than younger children because of their increased nutritional needs. So while there's no special supplement labeled specifically for teens, their higher food requirements are considered in your total household benefit calculation.
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Yuki Tanaka
•That's good to know about the calculation! J does get free lunch at school which definitely helps. Are there any summer programs when school is out? That's when our food costs go way up.
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Emily Jackson
Wait I'm confused are these 4.0 benefits automatic? I have a 4 year old and didn't notice any extra on my EBT this month...should I be calling somebody? How much extra is it supposed to be?
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Jacob Smithson
•Yes, the CalFresh 4.0 supplement should be automatic - it's approximately $43 per eligible child under 6 per month. If you're not seeing it on your EBT, it's worth calling your county office. Sometimes there are implementation delays or system issues that need to be addressed. Make sure to check your balance detail rather than just the total, as it might not be clearly labeled as a separate line item.
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