Thank you everyone for the advice! I was able to go in person to the county office yesterday (waited 3.5 hours but finally got seen). The worker helped me submit an emergency change report for my housing situation and told me my benefits should be recalculated within 10 days. She also helped me apply for CalWORKs and gave me a list of emergency housing resources. My friend says I can stay with her for another month which helps. Fingers crossed the increased benefits come through quickly!

So glad to hear you got some help at the county office! That 3.5 hour wait sounds brutal but totally worth it. Just wanted to add - when your CalFresh benefits get recalculated, make sure to ask about the Homeless Shelter Deduction if they haven't already applied it. Since you're temporarily staying with your friend without paying rent, you might qualify for this special deduction which can increase your monthly benefits even more. Also, once you get stabilized with housing, don't forget to report that change too so your benefits stay accurate. Wishing you and your little one all the best - you're doing great advocating for yourself!

Hi Zoe! Welcome to CalFresh! 🎉 I've been on the program for about 7 months now and can absolutely confirm what everyone else is saying - your benefits definitely roll over month to month with no expiration! It was one of the first things I worried about too when I started. I wanted to share something that's been really helpful for me as a parent: I actually use a simple calendar to mark when my benefits load each month and plan my grocery trips around sales at different stores. Since your benefits accumulate, you can really strategize your shopping - like waiting for a good sale on meat and then buying enough to last a while. Also, since you mentioned being confused by the paperwork (totally understandable!), I'd suggest keeping all your CalFresh documents in one dedicated folder or binder. Include your approval letter, any correspondence from the county, and write down important dates like when your SAR7 is due. It's made my life so much easier when I need to reference something quickly. And yes, definitely call about that childcare deduction! $950/month could make a significant difference in your benefit amount. This community has been such a lifesaver for navigating the program - everyone here is so knowledgeable and supportive. You're going to do great! 💪

Hey Zoe! Welcome to CalFresh and to this wonderful community! 🎉 I've been on the program for about 5 months now and can absolutely confirm what everyone else is saying - your benefits definitely roll over from month to month! No need to stress about losing them. I just wanted to add something that's been a game-changer for me: I keep a small spending journal where I track not just how much I spend, but also what I buy and where. It's helped me figure out which stores have the best prices for items my family uses most. For example, I discovered that buying frozen fruits and vegetables in bulk during sales and letting my benefits accumulate for those purchases saves me so much money compared to buying fresh every week. Also, since you're new to this, here's something I wish I'd known earlier - you can actually use your EBT card for grocery pickup and delivery at many stores now, which can be super helpful when you're juggling kids and want to stick to a planned shopping list without the temptation of impulse buys. Definitely follow up on that childcare deduction everyone mentioned - that amount could significantly increase your monthly benefits! And don't hesitate to come back here with any other questions. This community has been such a lifeline for me in navigating CalFresh. You're going to do amazing! 💪

I'm going through this exact same frustration right now! Been locked out of my EBTEDGE account for 3 days and it's so stressful when you need to check your balance for grocery planning. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the automated phone balance check at 1-877-328-9677 or that you can do balance inquiries at grocery stores without making a purchase. That's going to save me while I work on getting my account reset! Based on all the positive feedback here, I'm definitely going to try Claimyr tomorrow morning. It's honestly ridiculous that we need third-party services and community forums just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing real solutions that actually work. This has been way more useful than the official websites or spending hours on hold with customer service. Going to write down my security answers somewhere safe once I get back in - lesson learned!

This thread has been such a goldmine of information! I'm actually dealing with a similar lockout issue with my EBTEDGE account right now - forgot my security question answers from when I set it up almost a year ago. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me so much hope and practical solutions I never knew existed. The automated phone balance check at 1-877-328-9677 is going to be a lifesaver for grocery planning this week while I work on getting my account reset. Definitely going to try Claimyr based on all the success stories here - it sounds like exactly what I need to avoid the endless hold times with the county office. It's honestly frustrating that we need all these workarounds just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing what actually works. This has been way more helpful than any official resource I've tried! Thanks everyone for taking the time to help each other navigate these broken systems.

I'm new to CalFresh and haven't gone through renewal yet, but this thread has been incredibly helpful! Reading everyone's experiences, it's clear that submitting your renewal application online through BenefitsCal early is the way to go. One thing that stands out to me is how much less stressful the process seems when you're proactive about it. @Keisha Jackson, it sounds like you have great advice from people who've been through this exact situation recently. The consensus seems to be: don't wait for the appointment letter, get your documents together, and submit online ASAP. I'm definitely saving this thread for when my renewal time comes around. It's amazing how much clearer the process becomes when real people share their actual experiences versus trying to decipher those confusing government letters! Thanks everyone for being so helpful to newcomers like us.

I'm also new to CalFresh and this thread has been such a lifesaver! I was actually dreading my eventual renewal process, but reading everyone's experiences here makes it seem much more manageable. The step-by-step breakdown that @Oliver Weber provided earlier is exactly what I needed to see - it takes all the guesswork out of the process. What really stands out to me is how everyone who submitted their renewal early had a smoother experience compared to those who waited. @Keisha Jackson, it sounds like you're getting fantastic advice here. I'm definitely going to follow the same approach when my time comes: gather documents first, submit online through BenefitsCal early, and then wait for the interview call. Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences - it makes navigating government benefits so much less intimidating when you can learn from people who've actually been through it!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to add my voice to all the encouraging responses here! I'm in a really similar situation - my CalFresh benefits ended about 5 months ago when my work hours increased slightly, but I've kept my EBT card and have been successfully using it for Museums for All discounts. I've visited 3 different museums so far, including the California Science Center just last month, and it's worked perfectly every time. At the Science Center specifically, the staff were incredibly friendly and professional - they just glanced at my card and immediately processed the discount. My kids spent the entire day exploring the exhibits, especially the space shuttle Endeavour which absolutely blew their minds! What really struck me reading through this thread is how many positive experiences people have shared, particularly at the Science Center. It's clear that this program is working exactly as intended - to provide access to educational experiences for families who need financial assistance, regardless of current benefit status. For anyone still feeling hesitant, I'd say go for it! The worst case is paying regular admission, but based on all these experiences, you'll most likely get the discount and give your kids an amazing day of learning and fun. The Museums for All program really is a wonderful resource for families like ours. Hope you have a fantastic time this weekend!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful and reassuring this entire thread has been! I'm also dealing with a similar situation - my CalFresh benefits ended a couple months ago due to a paperwork issue, but I still have my physical EBT card. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially all the positive stories specifically about the California Science Center, has given me so much confidence to try this program with my own family. It's really heartwarming to see how supportive this community is and how willing everyone has been to share their real experiences - both the successes and the occasional challenges. What really stands out to me is how the Museums for All program seems to be working exactly as it was designed - to remove barriers and provide access to educational experiences for families who need it, not to create more hoops to jump through. The fact that so many people have had consistently positive experiences shows this is a reliable resource we can count on. I'm definitely planning to take my kids to some museums this spring using my EBT card, and this thread has been invaluable in building my confidence to do so. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories and tips - you're not just helping individual families, but creating a supportive resource that will benefit so many people in our community! 🙏