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!
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- 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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This is EXACTLY why I hate CalFresh! They put random letters and codes on our accounts without explaining what they mean and expect us to just figure it out. Then if we miss something we get our benefits cut and have to fight for months to get them back. I've been on and off CalFresh for 5 years and they NEVER make things clear. The whole system is designed to confuse people so they can kick us off.
It is frustrating not knowing what these codes mean. I wish they'd send a notification explaining changes to our accounts instead of just having mysterious letters appear.
UPDATE: I just checked with a colleague who works for CalFresh administration. The 'P' status is indeed part of the new 2025 EBT system update. It appears when: 1. A change has been reported and is being processed 2. Verification documents are under review 3. There's an upcoming reporting deadline (SAR7 or recertification) Your benefits remain usable during this time. The P will automatically clear once processing is complete or when required documents are received. If it doesn't disappear within 10 business days, then it would be worth contacting your worker.
Thank you so much for checking! This is really helpful. I'll wait the 10 business days and see if it clears on its own. I appreciate everyone's help with this!
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I called my kids school today and they said not all P-EBT cards are being sent at the same time. Apparently they're rolling them out over a 4-6 week period and prioritizing by school district. so if u haven't gotten yours yet, that might be why
This is correct. The California Department of Social Services has stated they're distributing the 2025 P-EBT cards in phases. If you had P-EBT previously, the new benefits should be loaded onto your existing card. If this is your first time, new cards are being mailed on a rolling basis. You can check your status at the BenefitsCal portal or by calling the P-EBT helpline at 877-328-9677, though wait times are extremely long right now.
Just a quick tip for everyone new to P-EBT: these benefits work a lot like CalFresh but have a few key differences: 1) P-EBT benefits last for 9 months from the issue date before they expire (CalFresh is 12 months) 2) You can use P-EBT at the same stores that accept CalFresh/EBT 3) P-EBT is specifically for households with children who would normally receive free/reduced school meals 4) Unlike regular CalFresh, you don't need to submit any SAR7 reports or recertification for P-EBT 5) P-EBT doesn't count against public charge rules for immigration Hope this helps!
This is so helpful! I had no idea the benefits expired after 9 months - definitely good to know. And I was worried we might need to do some kind of reporting like with other benefits. Huge relief that we don't have to deal with that paperwork!
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Somewhat related but I tried to use my kids P-EBT card at Target last week and the cashier looked at me like I was trying to commit fraud! Had to explain what P-EBT was and she still seemed suspicious. Anyone else have issues using these cards at certain stores?? It was so embarrassing my teenager refuses to go shopping with me now.
happens all the time. best to use self checkout or grocery stores where they see ebt more often
That's awful! I've been using mine at FoodMaxx and they never give me any trouble. Maybe stick to grocery stores instead of places like Target?
Quick tip: Make sure you activate the card as soon as you get it, even if you don't plan to use it right away. There have been cases where unactivated cards were flagged as potentially lost/stolen after sitting dormant for too long. You can activate by calling the number on the back of the card or online at www.ebt.ca.gov. Also, if your 7th grader was eligible for free/reduced lunch during the 2023-2024 school year but you're just now receiving the card, you might be getting a retroactive payment for past months. Those typically come as a lump sum on the first load.
Thanks! I activated it immediately, and you're right - it looks like we got some retroactive benefits. I was surprised by how much was on there.
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im still confused about the different between calfresh and calworks. do we need to protect both the same way?? my worker keeps saying i need to do recertification for my calfresh but i thought i was on calworks??? are they the same thing???
They're different programs but both use the same EBT card. CalFresh is for food only (formerly called food stamps) while CalWORKs provides cash aid. You can be on both programs simultaneously. The same theft protection methods apply to both since they use the same EBT system. You would need to recertify for each program you're enrolled in, but the timing might be different. Check your BenefitsCal account - it should show which programs you're currently on and when recertification is due for each one.
Thanks everyone for all these helpful tips! I've made a protection plan based on your advice: 1. I'll change my PIN the night before deposit day each month 2. I called the county today (finally got through!) and requested an authorized user card for my mom 3. I'll transfer most benefits to her card when they deposit 4. I enrolled in text alerts for all transactions 5. I requested a completely new card with new number to start fresh 6. I saved the theft claim form information just in case I feel so much better knowing I have options if something happens. This community is amazing! ❤️
Great plan! One more tip: when you transfer benefits to your mom's card, do it in smaller chunks over a few days rather than all at once. I've heard of sophisticated thieves monitoring accounts and waiting until right after large deposits or transfers to strike. Spreading it out makes it harder for them to get everything at once.
Anastasia Popova
When my calfresh got stolen they kept tellin me different things about when id get it back. one worker said 10 days another said 30 days. ended up bein like 3 weeks. now i just use my benefits as soon as they load and buy stuff that lasts all month so theres nuthin to steal lol
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Isabella Silva
UPDATE: Used the Claimyr service someone suggested above and actually got through to a supervisor! They're processing my replacement as a hardship case and said I should have emergency benefits in 3 business days. Still going to try the food bank tomorrow but at least there's light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks everyone who shared advice - I'm keeping my card frozen between uses now and set up text alerts for any transactions.
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Ravi Choudhury
•So glad you're getting help! The same supervisor probably handles hundreds of these cases but you'd never know because they make it so hard to reach anyone. Don't forget to file a police report too - it won't help get your benefits back faster but it helps create a paper trail for future cases.
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CosmicCadet
•good news! try 211 for emergency food 2day while u wait
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