California CalFresh

Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.

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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!

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Ask the community...

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  • 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 :)

For those still waiting, there's a specific timeline for P-EBT 4.0 distribution in California. Cards are being mailed between March and June 2025, with different counties prioritized in different waves. If your children qualified for free or reduced-price meals during the 2023-2024 school year, you should receive a card. If you don't receive one by early July, you can request a replacement through the P-EBT Portal at ca.p-ebt.org or by calling the P-EBT Hotline at 877-328-9677. Just be aware the hotline has extremely long wait times currently.

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Is it based on when you applied for free lunches? My kids were approved back in September and I got the card already, but my neighbor applied in January and hasn't gotten theirs yet.

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It's not directly tied to when you applied for free/reduced lunches, but rather to when your eligibility data was processed and transmitted to CDSS from your school district. Some districts submit their data earlier than others, which can affect distribution timing. The system also processes cards in batches rather than individually, which explains why people in the same area might receive cards at different times.

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UPDATE: Got my card today!!! For anyone still waiting, it was in a very plain white envelope that honestly looked like junk mail. $1,482 for my two kids - such a relief. Thanks everyone for the support and info!

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So happy for you! Make sure you activate it right away and create a PIN. And just FYI, the benefits do expire eventually (usually after about a year), so don't forget to use them!

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My sister had this happen but it was because she didn't report her teenager got a part-time job, and they found out through income matching with EDD. Even though her account showed active, they were calculating a benefit reduction. Not saying that's your situation, but sometimes there's more going on than just system glitches.

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Oh that's concerning. No one in my household has gotten a new job, but my ex did finally start paying child support last month. It's only $325/month though, and I did report it on my last quarterly report. Do you think that could cause a delay?

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Child support is countable income for CalFresh, but if you reported it properly on your SAR7, it should already be factored into your current benefit amount. A change in child support wouldn't typically cause your benefits to disappear completely without notice - they would send you a Notice of Action with the new benefit calculation. It sounds more like the system update issue others have mentioned.

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UPDATE: My benefits just loaded this morning (the 1st) even though they never showed as pending! Full amount too. Looks like it was just the system update affecting the pending notification like everyone said. Relief!! Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance!

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Great news! Glad to hear it worked out. This is good confirmation for others experiencing the same issue that it's just the notification system and not an actual benefit problem.

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I applied for CalFresh back in January and just to let you know, they're giving higher benefits now in 2025 because they adjusted for inflation. The maximum for a household of 3 (like you and your kids) is around $750/month now I think? My sister gets almost that much for her and her two kids. But it really depends on your income and expenses. Make sure you tell them about your rent, utilities, childcare costs if you have any - all that can help increase your benefit amount because they're deductions from your income calculation.

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That would be amazing if we qualified for that much. I'm paying $2300 for rent alone, plus utilities, so every bit helps. I'll make sure to include all those expenses. Thanks for the tip about childcare - I pay my neighbor to watch the kids after school, but it's cash. Can I still count that?

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Yes, you can definitely claim cash childcare payments as an expense! Just be prepared to provide a written statement from your childcare provider (your neighbor) that includes: - Their name and contact information - How much you pay them per week/month - Which children they care for and when It doesn't need to be anything fancy - just a signed note with this info. This expense can significantly increase your benefit amount since childcare is fully deductible for CalFresh calculations when it's necessary for work or school. Also, with rent that high, make sure you're claiming all utilities separately (even if some are included in rent). There's a standard utility allowance that can help increase benefits too.

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That's perfect! I'll ask my neighbor to write something up. I really appreciate everyone's help. I'm going to start the application tonight and hopefully get this figured out soon. You've all made this seem much less overwhelming than I thought it would be!

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I went through the EXACT same confusion! Called the P-EBT number 17 TIMES over three days!!! Finally got someone who told me they're only loading quarterly but couldn't even tell me WHEN the next quarter payment would be! The whole system is designed to make it impossible to get help. And the website is completely useless - just shows balance but nothing about future payments or if you're even still eligible. Why can't they just send a simple letter explaining when payments will come???

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right?? its like they dont want us to know on purpose

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EXACTLY!!! And when you call the main EBT number they say "we don't handle P-EBT" and transfer you to another line that never answers! It's a giant runaround!

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Just to clarify one additional point that might be causing confusion - P-EBT 3.0 is separate from CalFresh, even though both use EBT cards. If you receive regular CalFresh benefits, those will continue to be deposited monthly according to your regular schedule. The P-EBT benefits for school children are on the quarterly schedule I mentioned earlier. If you're having trouble reaching someone, you might try contacting your local school district's nutrition services department rather than the state P-EBT hotline. They often have more direct information about which students are enrolled in the program.

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That might be where the confusion is coming from! Some of the parents might be talking about their regular CalFresh when they mentioned February deposits. We don't get regular CalFresh, just the P-EBT for the kids, so we're on that quarterly schedule. Thanks for helping clear this up!

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wait what about the rest of us who shop at gas stations??? i live in muscoy and theres only the 7-11 within walking distance for me. no car. am i just supposed to not eat???

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If gas stations are your only option, try to use your EBT inside the store rather than at the outdoor payment terminal. Also, consider asking about the Fresh Access program - San Bernardino County started offering free monthly bus passes to CalFresh recipients who live in food deserts so they can reach full grocery stores. Check with your eligibility worker about enrolling in that program.

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This is unfortunately becoming a common issue with CalFresh benefits in the Inland Empire. Here's what you need to know about the current EBT theft situation: 1. Gas stations in San Bernardino County have seen higher rates of skimming devices according to the 2025 CDSS Fraud Report. The Highland Ave corridor has been specifically identified as a hotspot. 2. You must file the EBT-2259 form AND a police report. Despite what some comments suggest, both are required for expedited replacement under the new 2025 guidelines. 3. Under AB-1880, counties must provide replacement benefits within 10 business days of receiving a completed claim. 4. Request "immediate need" replacement when you submit your form - this indicates food insecurity and should prioritize your case. 5. The transaction history on your EBT account should show exactly where the fraudulent charges occurred - print this out as evidence. This is fixable, but you need to be persistent and follow the exact procedures.

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This is really helpful info - thank you! I didn't know about the Highland Ave being a known hotspot, but that makes sense now. I'm going to file the police report today and submit everything together. Really hoping they process this quickly.

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