The exact transition dates for each county should be posted on the California Department of Social Services website under "EBT System Modernization" by the end of February. San Bernardino is currently scheduled for Phase 3, which would be around August-September 2025. If you're moving between counties, make sure to update your address immediately when you move so your new card goes to the right place. Also, if you're moving to a county in a different phase of the rollout, you might experience a slight delay or get your card earlier than expected.

my sister said we gotta activate the new cards when they come or we cant get our benefits. does anybody know if that's true?

ACTUALLY I just remembered!!! There IS a way to get extra food help for Easter break specifically! Many school districts run a Spring Break meal program where kids can pick up free breakfast and lunch even when school is closed. Check your school district website or call your kids' school office and ask about spring break meals! Might not be money on your EBT card but it does help with food costs when kids are home.

I think the biggest confusion is that there are several different food programs with similar names. Just to clarify: 1. P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) - This was specifically for COVID and is gone 2. Summer EBT - This is newer and some states have it 3. Regular CalFresh/SNAP - Your normal monthly food benefits 4. School Meal Programs - Free/reduced lunch at school It gets confusing because they all help with food but work differently. The holiday extras were technically called "Emergency Allotments" and those are definitely discontinued nationwide.

I tried calling the county office to ask about this yesterday and was on hold for 45 minutes before I had to hang up because my break at work ended. So frustrating! I wish they would just send clear information about all these programs instead of making us hunt everything down ourselves.

Just updating in case anyone else is confused like I was - I found a flyer in my kid's backpack yesterday that explained more about Summer EBT. It IS different from P-EBT, which was just a COVID thing. This new Summer EBT is $120 per kid for the whole summer to help with food when school meals aren't available. The flyer said if you already get CalFresh, you don't need to apply separately - they'll automatically check eligibility through the school meal data. But they still recommended making sure your contact info is updated in the school system so you get the card. Hope this helps someone else!

This might sound stupid but are you sure you're checking on the right day? My sister thought her benefits were cut but she was just checking too early. CalFresh benefits get deposited on different days based on the last digit of your case number. Mine's a 7 so I get mine on the 7th of each month. When do yours normally come in?

I work with CalFresh recipients and wanted to explain why your benefits may have been reduced. The most common reasons are: 1. Increased income (even small increases can impact benefits) 2. Change in household composition 3. Unreported income discovered during verification 4. Missing or incomplete SAR7 information 5. Expenses like rent or utilities not fully reported To maximize your benefits, make sure you're reporting all allowable expenses on your SAR7 or recertification application. This includes: - Full rent/mortgage amount - Utilities (if not using the standard utility allowance) - Child care expenses - Medical expenses over $35/month for elderly or disabled household members - Court-ordered child support payments Regarding the timing of benefits, they're issued from the 1st-10th of each month based on the last digit of your case number. There are no supplemental payments tied to specific events like the Super Bowl. If you believe your benefits were incorrectly calculated, you can request a state hearing within 90 days of receiving your Notice of Action.

You're caught in a classic benefits catch-22. Here's what you need to know: 1. Yes, you can cancel an unemployment claim. You'll need to contact EDD to withdraw your claim. 2. For proof: Request an official "Claim Statement" from EDD showing $0 paid to you. This is the document both CalFresh and housing will accept. 3. Going in person is smart since the phone system is overwhelmed. Bring ID and your claim information. 4. Very important: Once you have documentation that you're not receiving unemployment, immediately contact your CalFresh eligibility worker to request a recalculation of your benefits based on your actual income, not potential unemployment. This is a common issue. CalFresh regulations require them to count "available income" but you can appeal if the income isn't actually available to you.