One more tip about preventing future skimming: Always check card readers before inserting your EBT card. Look for loose parts, unusual colors/materials, or anything sticking out. Cover the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN, as thieves often use tiny cameras to capture PINs. Also, the new ebtEDGE app now lets you set up purchase alerts so you're notified immediately of any transactions. That way, you can freeze your card and report suspicious activity before your entire balance is drained.

just updating - my friend had this happen last month and she got her benefits back in like 6 days! way faster than when it happened to me last year. i think theyre getting better at handling these cases since its happening so much. just stay on them and keep calling!!

u also no u can shop online with ebt now at walmart and amazon if u dont wanna go to store early morning

That's a great tip! I didn't know Amazon accepted EBT. That could be really helpful on months when I can't get to the store right away. Thanks!

my sister in fresno still waitin too so ur not alone. they doing them in groups i think

Update: Just saw on the CDSS website that they're sending out a batch of P-EBT cards specifically for Alameda County this week (October 14-18). So you should hopefully receive yours within the next 7-10 business days from mailing date. If you don't get it by the end of the month, then I would definitely follow up with both your school district and the P-EBT hotline.

To answer your question from earlier, Summer EBT is usually automatically provided if your children qualify for free/reduced school meals. The school should provide the information to the state, and then benefits are loaded onto a card (either your existing EBT card or a separate one).\n\nBased on all the replies here, you should:\n\n1. Call about expedited CalFresh benefits (using that call service someone mentioned to avoid the wait)\n2. Check with local churches and community organizations \n3. Make sure your school has your current information for any summer programs\n4. Call 211 to get connected to all available resources in your specific area\n\nHang in there - the first month is the hardest while waiting for benefits to start.

Thank you so much for this summary! I'm going to start with calling about expedited benefits tomorrow using that Claimyr service. I just checked and my county has a 211 website too so I'm looking through that now. It feels so overwhelming but this helps a lot to have steps to follow.

Just to provide the latest update on P-EBT eligibility as of mid-2025: - Children under 6 who receive CalFresh: Eligible for P-EBT 2.0 - School-age children (K-12): May be eligible for Summer P-EBT if they receive free/reduced meals during the school year - All ages: May be eligible for emergency P-EBT if their school closed for 5+ consecutive days due to emergencies The distribution schedule varies by county and is often staggered over several months. This is why some families receive benefits while others are still waiting. The official CDSS website has an eligibility checker tool now, which is more reliable than calling or asking caseworkers who may not have the most current information.

The P-EBT eligibility checker is on the dedicated P-EBT portal (not the main CalFresh site). Go to ca.p-ebt.org and select "Check Eligibility" from the menu. You'll need your child's student ID or date of birth and the school information. Also, for the original poster: if your children are 4 and 6, they would fall into different eligibility categories. The 4-year-old would be evaluated under the under-6 criteria (if enrolled in CalFresh), while the 6-year-old would be evaluated under the school-age criteria (if receiving free/reduced meals). This might explain some of the confusion from your caseworker.