I'm experiencing this exact same issue in North Carolina! Started having problems about 2 weeks ago - my EBT card works perfectly fine in physical stores but keeps getting rejected for Walmart Plus online orders. I'm a disabled veteran with PTSD and I specifically got the subscription because crowded stores can trigger anxiety attacks for me. Online grocery delivery has been essential for my mental health and wellbeing. What's really frustrating is that I called customer service three times and got completely different responses each time. First rep said it was a "system update" that would be done in 24-48 hours (that was 10 days ago), second rep claimed my card was "temporarily suspended" even though I'd just used it at the store that morning, and the third rep told me they were "upgrading security features" with no timeline at all. Reading through all these comments from 8 different states is really eye-opening - this is clearly a massive nationwide problem that Walmart is either unable or unwilling to fix quickly. The fact that they're still advertising EBT acceptance while knowing the system doesn't work feels incredibly misleading, especially for those of us who depend on this service for accessibility reasons. I'm definitely going to file complaints with the USDA and BBB, and I'm going to demand a full refund for my Walmart Plus membership. As a disabled veteran who relies on this service to avoid triggering environments, this feels like discrimination. I shouldn't have to choose between my mental health and getting groceries because a company can't maintain their payment systems properly. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and all the helpful resources - it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this, even though the situation is completely unacceptable.

This is absolutely unacceptable and reading through all these experiences from 9 different states is both heartbreaking and infuriating. I'm also dealing with this same issue - my EBT card works fine in stores but Walmart Plus keeps rejecting it online. I'm a single mom with three kids under 10, and I work two part-time jobs just to make ends meet. I specifically saved up for the Walmart Plus subscription because I could order groceries after my kids went to bed and have them delivered while I'm at work, so my neighbor could receive them. Now I'm stuck paying for a service that doesn't work and having to drag three young children on public transit to grocery shop, which takes half my Saturday. What really gets me is that Walmart is STILL advertising EBT acceptance on their website and app - I literally saw an ad yesterday promoting "Use your EBT card for convenient delivery!" If they know the system is broken across the entire country, how is it legal to keep advertising and selling subscriptions based on a feature that doesn't work? That feels like straight-up false advertising to me. I'm going to file complaints with the USDA, BBB, and honestly considering reaching out to my local news station because this is affecting so many vulnerable families. We're talking about disabled veterans, seniors with mobility issues, caregivers, single parents, students without transportation - the people who MOST need accessible grocery delivery are the ones being failed by this "technical glitch" that's been going on for months. Everyone who's shared their story here should absolutely demand full refunds or significant extensions on their memberships. We shouldn't have to pay for services that don't work, especially when we specifically chose them for EBT access. This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for speaking up and sharing resources. Let's keep the pressure on until this gets fixed properly!

UPDATE: I got through on the phone finally! The Sacramento office is open normal hours today. I uploaded my pay stubs through BenefitsCal as suggested and also called to confirm they got them. The worker said my benefits should continue without interruption as long as my income is within the limits. Thanks everyone for your help!

Im glad u got it figured out! Quick tip for next time - if u ever get those verification notices, respond RIGHT AWAY even if u dont have all the documents yet. U can submit a note saying u need more time to get the documents and they usually will extend the deadline. I learned this from my worker after the 3rd time i almost lost benefits lol. Also i keep a calendar with all my SAR7 and recert deadlines marked so i never miss them. This system makes it so hard to keep benefits sometimes!!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation - my benefits dropped by $156 last month and I had no clue why. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm pretty sure it's related to the extra shifts I picked up during Black Friday and the holiday season at my retail job. Like so many others here, I had absolutely no idea about the IRT reporting requirements. Nobody explained during my application process that temporary income increases could affect my benefits for months afterward. It feels like such a trap - they want us to work and be self-sufficient, but then penalize us when we actually do work extra hours! @Brianna Schmidt your update was incredibly helpful, especially the part about the address issue. I updated my address online months ago but now I'm wondering if it actually went through in all their systems. Going to call first thing tomorrow morning (thanks @Brandon Parker for the tip about calling right when they open!) and specifically ask for a benefit calculation breakdown and verify my address is correct everywhere. This whole system really needs better communication and education for recipients. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it's made me feel way less alone in dealing with this frustrating situation!

This thread is incredibly eye-opening and frustrating at the same time. I'm a social worker who helps clients navigate benefit systems, and I see this exact scenario play out constantly. The lack of clear communication about IRT reporting requirements is a systemic problem - most people have no idea they need to report temporary income increases like holiday overtime. @Brianna Schmidt thank you for sharing your detailed update! Your experience perfectly illustrates how the system fails recipients. The address issue after 6 months is inexcusable, and the fact that temporary holiday work can reduce benefits for months afterward is counterproductive to encouraging employment. For anyone else dealing with similar issues, here are a few additional tips: 1) Always get confirmation numbers when reporting address changes, 2) Take screenshots/photos of any documents you submit online, and 3) If you're told something verbally, ask for it in writing via email or mail. The burden shouldn't be on you to navigate a broken system, but unfortunately that's the reality right now. I really hope the state addresses these communication and notification issues soon - no one should have to become a benefits expert just to avoid surprise reductions!

I went through a very similar situation last year! You can absolutely apply for CalFresh without applying for cash aid - they're completely separate programs. When you fill out the application (either online through BenefitsCal or on paper), you'll see checkboxes for different programs and you can just select CalFresh and leave the CalWORKs box unchecked. For your household situation, since your children's father doesn't live with you and doesn't purchase/prepare food with your household, he wouldn't be counted as part of your CalFresh household. The key factor for CalFresh is who lives together and shares meals, not relationship status. However, you will need to report any regular financial support he provides as income. During the interview process, they'll ask about your living situation and any income coming into your household. Just be honest and straightforward - your situation isn't unusual and the eligibility workers have seen all kinds of family arrangements. They're not trying to catch you in anything, they just need accurate information to determine your benefits. One thing that really helped me was writing down a brief summary of my living situation before my phone interview so I could explain it clearly without getting flustered. Good luck with your application - the food assistance can really make a difference for your family's budget!

I just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this process! You can definitely apply for CalFresh only - I did the same thing about 8 months ago. The application is straightforward once you understand that you're just checking the box for food benefits and leaving cash aid unchecked. Your situation with your children's father is actually pretty common. Since he doesn't live in your home or share meals with you, he's not part of your CalFresh household regardless of your relationship status. The main thing they care about is the actual living arrangement and who buys/prepares food together. During my interview, they asked basic questions about who lives with me, my income, and my expenses. They did ask if I receive any child support, but when I explained that the father helps occasionally but doesn't provide regular monthly support, they just made a note of it. The worker was professional and not judgmental at all. One tip that helped me: when they ask about "household composition," think of it as "who eats meals together in this house" rather than getting caught up in relationship details. That simple reframe made it much easier for me to answer their questions clearly. You've got this - don't let the application intimidate you!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so relieved to have found this thread! I just experienced this exact same issue two days ago - called the EBT line to check my account and heard absolutely nothing about future deposits, which sent me into a complete panic. I'm still pretty new to receiving CalFresh benefits and thought I had somehow messed up my case already. Reading through everyone's experiences here, especially @ce65d8d68218's explanation about the system updates and @513d690470b8's updates showing how the issue resolved itself, has been incredibly reassuring. I had no idea about BenefitsCal.com as an alternative way to check status - just logged in and my benefits are showing as pending there too! It's amazing how much stress a simple technical glitch can cause when you're still learning to navigate these systems. Thank you all for being so helpful and supportive - this is exactly the kind of community I was hoping to find when I joined. It's such a relief to know that these system hiccups happen and that there are knowledgeable people here who can help distinguish between normal technical issues and actual problems with our cases!

As someone completely new to both CalFresh and this community, I'm so grateful I found this thread! I just had this exact same heart-stopping experience yesterday - called the EBT line like I normally do and heard absolutely nothing about future deposits. Being only two months into receiving benefits, I immediately assumed I'd somehow screwed up my case or missed some critical paperwork. The panic was real! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a lifesaver. @ce65d8d68218's insight about the system updates as an eligibility worker was incredibly helpful, and seeing how @513d690470b8's situation went from panic to relief really calmed my nerves. I had no clue about BenefitsCal.com as an alternative - just checked and my benefits are showing as pending there too! It's crazy how a simple technical glitch can cause so much stress when you're still figuring out how all these systems work. This community is amazing - the way everyone jumped in to help and share their knowledge shows what a supportive place this is. Thank you all for making what could have been a really stressful week into a learning experience instead!