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 :)

i got something extra but it wasnt a disaster thing it was cuz i reported my rent went up on my sar7 and they gave me more benefits starting this month maybe thats what they meant?? did ur costs change recently

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That's a good point! If you recently reported increased expenses on your SAR7 (like higher rent, childcare costs, or medical expenses), your regular benefit amount could increase. This isn't a special supplement though - it's just a recalculation of your regular benefits based on your updated expenses. Always make sure to report any increases in your household expenses on your SAR7 or at recertification, as these can help qualify you for higher benefit amounts.

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My sister in San Diego got the disaster supplement but she had to apply separately for it. They didn't just automatically add it to her regular benefits. She had to show she lost food due to power outages from the storm. Is that what you're talking about?

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Yes, that's exactly what's happening. Your sister applied for D-CalFresh (Disaster CalFresh), which is separate from regular CalFresh. To qualify, applicants need to: 1) live in an approved disaster area county, 2) have experienced a disaster-related expense or income loss, and 3) apply during the specific 7-day application period. It's not automatic - even if you already receive regular CalFresh benefits, you need to submit a separate D-CalFresh application. Additionally, there are different income limits for D-CalFresh compared to regular CalFresh, so some people who don't normally qualify for CalFresh might be eligible for D-CalFresh after a disaster.

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hope u got ur money back by now but if not go to a food bank!!! theres one at the community center on madison street that gives out good stuff on tuesdays and fridays. got us through when our benefits got messed up last year

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Thank you for the suggestion! I actually ended up going there yesterday. They had fresh produce and some canned goods that are helping us get by. Really appreciate the tip!

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I wanted to follow up - did you get any resolution when you went back to the office? For others reading this thread in the future, California implemented new EBT theft protections in 2025 that should make these situations less common. They're now using chip cards and have better fraud monitoring systems. If anyone experiences theft: 1. Report it immediately to the EBT customer service line AND local police 2. Submit the EBT-2259 form to your county office within 5 days of discovering the theft 3. Request an emergency allotment if you have no other food resources 4. Check benefit status through the BenefitsCal portal or mobile app 5. Consider transferring benefits to a bank account as soon as they're received (as another commenter suggested) The state is required to process valid claims within 10 calendar days, though some counties may take longer.

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Yes! I got some good news finally. I went back yesterday and spoke with a supervisor who confirmed my claim was approved and being processed. They issued an emergency allotment of $200 that loaded onto my card this morning! They said the full replacement should come through by next Tuesday. Such a relief. Thank you everyone for all your help and advice during this stressful time!

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UPDATE: I finally got through to my county worker today! Turns out they had calculated our rent but NOT included any utility costs at all. They also had my husband's old income which was higher because he was working overtime last month but isn't anymore. The worker said I qualify for a utility allowance of about $450 and she's updating our income information. She's going to recalculate our benefit amount and said it should be significantly more than $10/month. She's also backdating it to this month since it was their error. Thank you everyone for your help! I'll update again when I see the new amount.

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thats great! always fight for what ur entitled to. the system counts on people not knowing their rights or giving up too easy

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This is exactly why reviewing your Notice of Action carefully is so important. They often miss deductions or use outdated information. Good job advocating for your family! For future reference, you can request a detailed breakdown of how your benefits were calculated anytime - it's your right as a CalFresh recipient.

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FINAL UPDATE: Just wanted to share that after the recalculation, my benefits went from $10/month to $625/month! Such a huge difference. The worker explained that with our corrected income and proper utility allowance plus the standard deduction for a family of 5, we were entitled to much more. They'll be issuing the additional benefits for this month within 3 days. I'm so relieved and grateful for everyone's advice here. Don't give up if your benefits seem wrong!

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That's wonderful news! This is a perfect example of why it's so important to understand how your benefits are calculated and to make sure all your deductions are properly counted. For anyone else reading this, remember that CalFresh should always include: 1. Standard deduction (varies by household size) 2. 20% earned income deduction 3. Shelter costs (rent/mortgage + utilities, either itemized or using the standard utility allowance) 4. Dependent care costs if applicable 5. Medical expenses over $35 for elderly or disabled household members If even one of these is missing, it can dramatically change your benefit amount.

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This happened to my cousin last month too. The county is rolling out a new payment schedule for the CFAP supplements based on case numbers. Some people are getting them on the 17th, others on the 19th, and some on the 21st now. They're spreading out the payments to reduce system load. Should be the same date for you each month going forward though.

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That makes sense - thanks for explaining! I'll make a note that the 21st seems to be my new payment date. Wish they'd sent some kind of notice about this change though.

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I'm still waiting for mine!!!!! This is RIDICULOUS!!!! I depend on that money for my kids and rent is due next week. The system is completely broken and nobody at the county ever answers their phones. I've been on CalFresh for 5 years and it just keeps getting worse. Are they TRYING to starve people??? I'm so done with this!!!

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I understand your frustration, but please keep in mind that CFAP supplements are not meant for rent - they're specifically for food assistance. If you're experiencing a housing crisis, you might want to contact your county's general assistance program or call 211 for emergency resources. Also, double-check that you've submitted all required verification and your most recent SAR7 or recertification. If those are all complete, try contacting your worker through BenefitsCal's secure messaging system, which sometimes gets faster responses than phone calls.

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Just to update everyone on the current policy: As of 2025, Sacramento County is supposed to process EBT theft claims within 10 business days IF all documentation is complete. The required documentation is: 1) Completed EBT-2259 Benefit Theft Report, 2) Police report or case number, 3) Statement explaining when/how card was stolen, and 4) Completion of the fraud interview. If any of these items are missing, the clock doesn't start. Cash aid (CalWORKs) replacements typically take longer than CalFresh because they require supervisor approval.

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This is technically correct but I swear they deliberately "lose" paperwork to restart the clock. They "lost" my police report TWICE during my claim process even though I submitted it online with a confirmation number.

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Following up on my earlier comment - when I used Claimyr to reach a real person, they told me that theft claims are often delayed because they get sent to a special unit separate from regular EBT customer service. Make sure when you call that you're speaking specifically to someone who handles theft claims, not just a general EBT representative. Regular EBT reps often can't even see the status of theft investigations in their system.

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I finally got through using Claimyr like you suggested! You were right - the regular EBT customer service couldn't see details of my theft claim. The specialist I reached said my case was assigned to an investigator but missing the EBT-2259 form. They're emailing it to me now and said once I return it, they'll expedite the review. Thank you so much for the tip!

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