Wait I'm confused about something else - when you report things on the SAR7, does that mean your benefits change right away? Or do they wait until the next 6-month period? I'm in a similar situation and trying to figure out when any changes would take effect.

UPDATE: I finally got through to my county worker! She confirmed that security deposit assistance paid directly to the landlord does NOT count as income for CalFresh purposes. She said to still note it on my SAR7 in the 'changes' section but to clearly explain it was a vendor payment for security deposit only, not rent assistance. Thanks everyone for your help!!

So sorry about your family's situation. When we went through the wildfires here, one thing that really helped was creating an Amazon wishlist with immediate needs and sharing it with friends and family who wanted to help. People could directly purchase and ship items to a safe address. It might be an option alongside the official assistance programs, which can take time to process. Also, check if their mortgage company or landlord offers disaster forbearance - many do automatically for federally backed loans in FEMA-declared disaster areas. This can pause housing payments temporarily.

I'm in a disaster recovery group on Facebook where people share resources after tornados, hurricanes, etc. They're called "Tornado Recovery Info" or similar for each state. Tell them to search for Tennessee tornado recovery groups on social media. People post about free clothing donations, volunteers helping clear debris, temporary housing offers, and other resources that don't involve government waitlists. Local groups often mobilize faster than official channels.

Update: After helping several clients with this exact issue (Sam's Club in Illinois), I've learned that the state is now investigating this as a coordinated fraud ring. If you call your county office, specifically mention Case #FSF-2025-876 which is the statewide fraud investigation number for this specific scam. This might help expedite your replacement benefits. Also, until this is resolved, here are some protective steps: 1. Change your PIN immediately after benefits are deposited 2. Transfer benefits to a separate account if possible 3. Consider using the BenefitsCal app to freeze/unfreeze your card between uses 4. Examine all card readers before inserting your card (look for loose parts) I'm sorry you're dealing with this. The system should be protecting vulnerable families, not making them prove they were victims.

i got my benefits back after my card was skimmed!!! took 6 weeks tho. what worked was i went to the actual county office in person with all my evidence. brought my work schedule, bus receipts, even a affadavit from my neighbor who saw me that day. in-person they actually listen better than on phone. good luck!!

I was so confused by this too! I actually tried my CalFresh PIN on my daughter's P-EBT card and it didn't work (obviously based on what everyone is saying). Make sure you call when you have at least 30 minutes free because you'll be on hold forever. The person I finally talked to said they're extra busy because they just sent out a huge batch of cards for the new school year. Once you do get through, the PIN setup only takes like 1 minute.

As a follow-up - make sure you activate and use your P-EBT benefits before they expire! Most P-EBT benefits stay on the card for about 274 days (9 months) from the date they were issued. Unlike regular CalFresh which expires after a year of non-use, P-EBT has a shorter timeframe. You can check the exact expiration dates by calling the number on the back of the card once you've set up your PIN.

Hey did anybody else notice that the benefit amounts went up in January? My regular CalFresh went from $349 to $379 for my household of 2 and nobody told me it was increasing! Just randomly got more money lol

Update: My Restaurant Meals Program benefits just loaded this morning! It was delayed by about 24 hours compared to usual. Thanks everyone for helping me understand what was going on. The county should really explain these things better instead of making us figure it out ourselves!