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!
Ask the community...
- 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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
did u try calling the county yet? I know its frustrating but u really need to talk to ur worker to get this fixed. Sometimes the EBT customer service number can transfer u directly to a caseworker if u tell them its urgent!
Max Knight
•I'm going to try again tomorrow morning right when they open. If that doesn't work, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. I'll let everyone know how much my benefits increase once I get this sorted out! Thanks for all the help everyone.
Yara Sayegh
Just wanted to add that you should also check if your county has any local CalFresh offices that might be easier to reach than the main number. Some counties have satellite offices or community partners where you can drop off documents in person. Also, when you do get through to report the utility allowance, ask them to backdate it to when you first started paying utilities separately - sometimes they can adjust your benefits retroactively for a few months if you can prove you were eligible earlier. Good luck getting through, and don't give up! The extra benefits will be worth the hassle of dealing with the phone system.
Emma Wilson
•Old utility bills should definitely be enough proof! I had a similar situation and was able to get benefits backdated 6 months just by providing copies of my electric bills showing my name and address. Make sure the bills clearly show the service dates so they can see exactly when you started paying separately. If you have a lease or rental agreement that mentions utilities being tenant-paid, that could help too, but the bills themselves are usually sufficient. The key is showing a consistent pattern of you being responsible for the utility payments. Keep pushing for that backdating - it could mean hundreds of dollars in additional benefits!
Ava Johnson
•@Yara Sayegh That s'great advice about asking them to backdate it! I didn t'even think about that possibility. I ve'been paying my electric and water bills separately since I moved into this apartment last summer, so that could be 8+ months of missing deductions. Do you know if there s'a limit on how far back they can go? I m'worried they might say it s'too late or that I should have reported it sooner. Also, has anyone had success getting backdated benefits? I m'curious how long it took for the adjustment to show up.
Join the conversation
Quick update on good news - I just checked and Alameda County does offer same-day emergency EBT card replacement at their main office (if you go early). Bring your photo ID and verification documents just in case. Some counties limit emergency replacements to certain hours, so if possible, arrive when they first open for the best chance of quick service.
Sofia Price
•Thank you so much! I'll be there right when they open. This community has been incredibly helpful - I was panicking before but now I have a clear plan for tomorrow.
Hey Sofia! I went through this exact same situation last month and I know how stressful it is. Since you already deactivated the card and no benefits were stolen, you're in a much better position than many people. Just wanted to add that when you go to the Alameda County office tomorrow, try to get there about 15 minutes before they open - there's usually a line for emergency services and they handle people in order of arrival. Also, if for some reason they can't issue a same-day card, ask specifically about their emergency food voucher program. Some counties can give you a temporary paper voucher to use at certain stores while you wait for your replacement card. Good luck tomorrow and don't let them make you feel bad for needing help - this happens to people all the time and it's not your fault!
Join the conversation
Sophia Russo
This is such valuable information - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! I'm new to this community and haven't had to deal with stolen benefits before, but reading through all these responses makes me feel much more prepared in case it ever happens to me. A couple questions based on what I've read: When you withdraw the cash benefits from an ATM, are there any fees like with regular bank withdrawals? And does anyone know if you can use the cash benefits portion to pay bills online or does it only work for in-person purchases and ATM withdrawals? Also wanted to say how helpful it is that people mentioned specific details like listening to the full automated message and the 90-day expiration rule - those are the kinds of important details that caseworkers sometimes forget to mention but can make a huge difference!
StarGazer101
•Great questions! For ATM withdrawals, there usually aren't fees if you use ATMs that are part of the Quest network (most major grocery stores and many banks). You can find fee-free ATMs using the Quest ATM locator on their website. If you use an out-of-network ATM, there might be fees just like with regular bank cards. As for paying bills online, I don't think you can use the EBT cash benefits for that - it's designed more for in-person transactions and ATM withdrawals. The card doesn't work like a regular debit card for online purchases from what I understand. Your best bet is probably to withdraw the cash and then use that however you need to! And I totally agree about caseworkers sometimes missing the important details - this community has been such a lifesaver for figuring out all the stuff they don't tell you upfront!
Emma Bianchi
I'm so sorry this happened to you! I went through the exact same thing about 6 months ago and it's such a frustrating experience. Everyone here has given you excellent advice, but I wanted to add one more thing that really helped me. When you do get your cash benefits back, I'd recommend taking a screenshot or photo of your balance right away showing both the food and cash amounts. I did this and it saved me later when there was a discrepancy in my account - having that proof made it much easier to resolve with customer service. Also, just to give you some peace of mind: in my experience, the reimbursement usually shows up faster than they tell you. My caseworker said it could take up to 10 business days but mine appeared after only 5 days. Keep checking your balance every couple of days! The whole system is definitely confusing (why they make stolen benefit replacements work differently than regular CalFresh is beyond me), but at least California does reimburse stolen benefits which not all states do. Hang in there - you should have your money back soon!
That's such a smart tip about taking a screenshot of the balance! I never would have thought of that but it makes total sense to have documentation just in case. And thank you for the reassurance about the timing - it's good to know it might come through faster than expected. I'll definitely start checking my balance every few days starting this week. This whole situation has been so stressful but everyone's advice here has made me feel so much more confident about navigating the process. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
Join the conversation
btw has anyone noticed the benefit amounts went up a bit this year? i got like $38 more this month for my family of 4 and wasnt sure if it was a mistake or if theres a cost of living increase thing?
Yes, there was a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 that took effect in October 2024. CalFresh benefits are adjusted annually based on the Thrifty Food Plan calculations. The increase varies depending on household size, but many households saw a modest increase in their monthly allotment.
Diego Chavez
I'm new to using CalFresh at farmers markets - is there a way to find out which markets in my area are having these EBT issues before I make the trip? I live pretty far from the downtown market and would hate to drive all that way just to find out the system is down. Also, when you mentioned Market Match doubling benefits, is that available at all farmers markets or just certain ones? Thanks for all the helpful info everyone is sharing here!
Great questions! For checking EBT status before you go, I'd recommend calling the farmers market directly - most have a main number listed on their website. You can also check if they have a Facebook page since markets sometimes post updates about system issues there. As for Market Match, it's not at every farmers market unfortunately. You can find participating markets on the Market Match website (marketmatch.org) - they have a map tool where you can search by location. The program typically doubles your first $10-15 in CalFresh benefits, so if you spend $10 in EBT you get an extra $10 in Market Match tokens to spend on fresh produce. It's such a great program when it's working! Hope this helps and welcome to the community!
Ryan Andre
Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who recently went through this process in San Diego! With twins on the way, you'll definitely want to apply ASAP since processing times are so long right now. One thing I wish I had known - when you calculate your household size for the applications, you can include unborn children if you're in your third trimester (which it sounds like you might be with twins due in 2 months?). This could potentially increase your benefit amounts even before they're born. Also, since you mentioned being confused about the BenefitsCal website - I found it helpful to use the pre-screening tool first just to get a rough idea of eligibility before starting the actual application. It's not perfect but gives you a ballpark estimate. And definitely keep screenshots of everything during the application process - I had to resubmit parts of mine when the system glitched and lost my uploaded documents. Good luck with the twins and the application process! Having that extra food assistance will be such a huge help with a family of 6.
0 coins
Keisha Williams
•This is such great advice about including unborn children in the household size calculation! I had no idea that was possible. We're at about 32 weeks with the twins, so that would definitely qualify. Do you know if I need any special documentation from my doctor to prove the pregnancy for the application, or is it just based on what I report? And thanks for the tip about the pre-screening tool - I'll definitely try that first before diving into the full application. Did you end up qualifying for both programs when you applied?
0 coins
AstroAdventurer
•@Keisha Williams For the pregnancy documentation, you ll'typically need a letter from your healthcare provider stating your due date and that you re'expecting twins. Some counties accept just a pregnancy verification form that your doctor can fill out - it s'usually a simple one-page document. Since you re'at 32 weeks, you should definitely be able to include both babies in your household count, which would make you a family of 8 for benefit calculation purposes! That could significantly increase your CalFresh amount. I did qualify for both programs when I applied, though it took about 6 weeks total in San Diego county. The Medi-Cal approval came first around (3 weeks ,)then CalFresh took another 3 weeks. Having the pregnancy documentation actually helped speed things up since pregnant women get priority processing for Medi-Cal.
0 coins
Oliver Becker
Congratulations on the twins! 🎉 As someone who just went through this process recently in San Diego, I wanted to share a few practical tips that helped me navigate the system: First, with your income of $5,800 for a family of 6, you should definitely qualify for both programs. The income limits mentioned by others are correct - CalFresh allows up to $6,875 gross monthly and Medi-Cal goes up to around $9,200 for your family size. One thing that really helped me was organizing all my documents in a folder BEFORE starting the application. You'll need: recent paystubs (2-3 months), rent agreement, utility bills, childcare receipts, birth certificates for all family members, and Social Security cards. Since you mentioned $2,200 rent and $1,800 childcare, those are substantial deductions that will really help your CalFresh benefit calculation. A couple San Diego-specific tips: Apply online through BenefitsCal.com early in the morning (7-9 AM) when the system is less glitchy. If you need to call the office, Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to have shorter wait times than Mondays/Fridays. And definitely follow up 2 weeks after submitting to make sure they have everything - San Diego county has been having issues with documents not properly uploading. With twins coming in 2 months, you're going to need all the help you can get! The extra food assistance will be a huge relief. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions about the process!
0 coins