California CalFresh

That's such great news that your benefits are still active! $375 is a lot of money to lose. Just wanted to add that when you go shopping tomorrow, if you're buying a mix of EBT-eligible and non-eligible items, make sure to tell the cashier you want to use EBT first before they ring everything up. That way you can pay for the eligible groceries with your P-EBT card and then pay for any remaining items with cash or another card. Some stores can split the transaction but others make it complicated if you don't mention it upfront. Also, keep your receipt - it'll show your remaining balance so you'll know exactly how much you have left!

This thread has been so educational! As someone new to the P-EBT system, I had no idea about the 274-day rule or that there was an app to check balances. I've been dealing with regular CalFresh benefits for a while, but P-EBT seems to have its own set of rules that are way more confusing. Grace, your story is probably more common than people realize - I bet tons of families have forgotten cards sitting around with money still on them. The tip about making a small test purchase first is genius, and I'm definitely downloading that ebtEDGE app right now. It's frustrating that the customer service wait times are so bad, but at least there are workarounds like the app and that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and practical tips - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that actually helps people navigate these systems!

To clarify some of the confusion in this thread: The standard COVID emergency allotments that provided extra CalFresh benefits to all recipients ended in March 2023. What exists now: 1. Regular monthly benefits (based on household size, income, expenses) 2. Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh) in federally-declared disaster areas 3. Transitional CalFresh for families leaving CalWORKs 4. Expedited benefits for emergency situations If someone mentions 'extra benefits,' they're likely referring to one of these specific programs rather than the universal supplements we saw during COVID. If you believe you're eligible for additional benefits, contact your county office for clarification.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! I think what I overheard must have been about the disaster benefits. We weren't in an evacuation zone so we wouldn't qualify, but that makes sense now.

wait this is completely different from the Market Match program right? because i use that at farmers markets where they match like $10 of my ebt...

This thread has been so informative! I'm a single mom in Fresno County with a 7-year-old, and I had NO idea this California Fresh program existed. We get about $280 in CalFresh monthly, so it sounds like we might qualify. The extra $50 for produce would be a huge help - fresh fruits and vegetables are so expensive! I'm definitely going to call tomorrow and ask specifically for the "California Fresh Supplemental Benefit." Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!

Update to my earlier comment: I just learned that CalFresh/EBT is doing a system update this weekend (April 19-21, 2025). If your card was locked before this, you might actually benefit from the update since they're resetting certain security parameters. Try accessing EBT Edge again on Monday morning - it might recognize your information correctly after the update.

UPDATE: Finally got my card unlocked! For anyone with the same issue, I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned here, and it actually worked! They got me through to a person at the county office in about 20 minutes (versus the 2+ hours I was waiting before). The worker was able to see that my account had a security lock that was different from just the PIN lock, which is why the automated system and website weren't working. She removed that security flag and then helped me reset my PIN. Card is working now! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

Update: I finally got through to someone helpful! Turns out there's a special verification form for independent study students that my kids' program was supposed to send us back in April. Going to the district office tomorrow to fill it out, but they said even with the delay we should still get the full benefit amount once processed. Thanks everyone for the advice!

So glad you figured it out! This is exactly why the system is so confusing - there are all these extra forms and requirements that nobody tells you about upfront. I'm dealing with something similar for my two kids who did independent study this year. Did they tell you if this verification form is something that needs to be done every year, or is it a one-time thing? I want to make sure I don't run into this same issue next time around. Thanks for sharing your update - it gives the rest of us hope that we can get this sorted out!