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Just wanted to thank everyone for all this amazing advice! I went to Walmart yesterday and successfully bought seeds for tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and some lettuce with my EBT card - no questions asked! I also got some mint and basil seeds since fresh herbs are so expensive at the store. The cashier didn't even blink when I paid with EBT. This is going to help stretch my food budget so much once things start growing. I'll update later in the season with how my garden turns out!
That's fantastic! You picked great starter crops too. Don't get discouraged if everything doesn't grow perfectly on your first try - gardening is a learning process. Even experienced gardeners have failures sometimes. Looking forward to hearing how it goes!
This is such a helpful thread! I'm also on CalFresh and had no idea about the seed/plant benefit. One thing I'd add for anyone starting out - check if your local library has gardening books or even seed libraries where you can borrow seeds for free! My library has a "seed swap" program every spring. Also, if you're worried about space, don't overlook container gardening. I grow cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs in old yogurt containers and buckets on my apartment balcony. Even a small windowsill can produce enough fresh herbs to save you $20+ per month at the grocery store. The initial investment with your EBT benefits really does pay off!
Wow, I never thought about checking the library for gardening resources! That's such a great tip. I'm definitely going to look into whether my local library has anything like that. The container gardening idea is perfect too since I'm not sure how much of my backyard patch will actually work out. Starting small with some containers might be the way to go while I figure out what I'm doing. Thanks for the practical advice!
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Not sure if this helps, but I once had a similar issue and discovered that some ATMs are less crowded than others. The ones near public assistance offices tend to be packed on benefit days, while ATMs in quieter residential areas or certain credit unions might have shorter lines. Just a thought!
That's actually smart! I've been going to the one right by the welfare office because it doesn't charge fees for EBT withdrawals, but maybe the fee would be worth it to avoid the lines. I'll check out some other locations next month.
To answer your original question about the scammers - the EBT benefit theft has been a major problem statewide. That's why they implemented the new chip cards this year. If you haven't received yours yet, you should contact your county office to request one, as they provide much better protection against skimming devices that thieves use. Also, I recommend checking your balance through the official EBT app or phone line before heading to the ATM - sometimes benefits are delayed by a few hours, so calling ahead can save you a wasted trip. The deposit times are supposed to be midnight, but the system doesn't always process everything right at 12:00 AM.
I did get the chip card a few months ago, but honestly it doesn't seem to have changed much. Maybe I need to be more careful about where I use it? And good tip about checking the balance first - I hadn't thought of that!
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I've been on CalFresh for about 6 months now and this thread is super informative! I had no idea about these disaster supplements until reading everyone's experiences. Just wanted to add that if anyone is having trouble getting through to their county office (which seems to be a common problem based on the comments), you can also try calling first thing in the morning right when they open - I've had better luck getting through around 8 AM. Also, some counties have online portals where you can send messages to your caseworker instead of calling, which might be easier than waiting on hold for hours. Thanks to everyone who explained the different types of supplements - it really helps newcomers like me understand how the system works!
That's a great tip about calling early in the morning! I've noticed the same thing - the phone lines seem much less busy right when they open. The online portal suggestion is really helpful too, though I think not all counties have that feature yet. It's frustrating how inconsistent the systems are between different counties. I'm still pretty new to all this myself, but this community has been amazing for learning how everything works. It's kind of overwhelming at first with all the different rules and potential supplements, but threads like this really help break it down. Thanks for sharing your experience!
This whole thread has been really eye-opening for me as someone who just started receiving CalFresh benefits last month! I had no idea there were different types of emergency supplements and special payments that could show up. Reading about everyone's experiences with the disaster supplements and other adjustments really helps explain how the system works. It sounds like keeping good records and staying informed through county websites is key. I'm definitely going to bookmark this discussion and follow some of the advice about calling early in the morning if I ever need to reach my caseworker. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge - it's so helpful for newcomers like me to understand what's normal and what to expect!
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As someone brand new to both CalFresh and this community, I can't tell you how relieved I am to have found this thread! I just went through this exact same terrifying experience three days ago - called the EBT line to check my account like I always do, and for the first time since I started receiving benefits two months ago, there was absolutely no mention of future deposits. I immediately went into full panic mode thinking I had somehow messed up my case or missed some crucial paperwork deadline. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring, especially @ce65d8d68218's professional insight about the system updates and seeing how @513d690470b8's situation went from complete worry to relief. I had no clue about BenefitsCal.com being an alternative way to check - just logged in and my benefits are right there showing as "pending issuance"! It's amazing how much anxiety a simple technical glitch can cause when you're still figuring out how all these systems work and don't know what's normal versus what's actually problematic. This community is absolutely incredible - the way everyone jumped in to help share knowledge and support each other is exactly what I was hoping to find when I joined. Thank you all for turning what could have been a week of stress into a valuable learning experience!
@fcf4aff969fa Welcome to the community! I'm also completely new here and your experience sounds exactly like the nightmare scenario I would have imagined - that sinking feeling when you call the EBT line and suddenly hear silence where your future benefits should be! Two months in and thinking you've already screwed something up is such a relatable fear when you're still learning how everything works. This thread has been such a perfect introduction to how amazing this community is. Seeing how @ce65d8d68218 jumped in with that professional knowledge as an eligibility worker and how @513d690470b8 documented her whole journey from panic to resolution really shows what a supportive place this is. Like you, I had zero idea that BenefitsCal.com existed as a backup option - this has been like getting a bonus crash course in CalFresh troubleshooting! It's incredible how these system glitches can cause so much unnecessary stress when you don't know what's normal yet, but having this community where people actually understand the anxiety and share practical solutions makes navigating these systems so much less overwhelming. Thanks for sharing your story - it's really comforting to know other newcomers are going through the same learning curve and finding the same relief here!
As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this thread! I just started receiving CalFresh benefits last month and had this exact same scary experience yesterday. When I called the EBT line and heard nothing about future deposits, I immediately thought I'd somehow messed up my application or missed some important step. The panic was real - especially since I'm still figuring out how all these systems work! Reading through everyone's experiences here, particularly @ce65d8d68218's explanation about the system updates and seeing @513d690470b8's journey from worry to relief, 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 a simple technical glitch can cause so much stress when you're new to navigating these systems. Thank you all for being so helpful and supportive - this community is exactly what I needed to feel less alone in learning how to manage my benefits. Your shared knowledge has turned what could have been days of anxiety into a valuable learning experience!
@8e8a9212005c Welcome to the community! I'm also brand new here and your experience is so relatable - that immediate terror when you call the EBT line for the first time as a new recipient and suddenly hear nothing where your benefits should be! One month in and thinking you've already messed up your application sounds exactly like the anxiety spiral I would have gone through. This thread has been such an incredible introduction to how supportive this community is. The way @ce65d8d68218 provided that professional insider knowledge and how @513d690470b8 shared her complete journey from panic to relief really shows what a helpful and understanding place this is. Like you, I had never heard of BenefitsCal.com before reading this - it's like we all got a masterclass in CalFresh troubleshooting! It's wild how these technical glitches can cause so much unnecessary stress when you're still learning what's normal versus what's actually concerning, but having this community where people genuinely understand the anxiety and share practical solutions makes navigating these systems so much less scary. Thanks for sharing your story - it's really reassuring to know other newcomers are finding the same relief and support here that I am!
Liam Fitzgerald
I'm dealing with this same issue in Fresno! Been trying since yesterday and getting nowhere with the ATMs. What's really frustrating is that this always seems to happen at the worst possible time - right when bills are due. I tried calling the EBT customer service line multiple times but like others mentioned, just get stuck in an endless phone tree. Has anyone had luck getting through to an actual person at the state level rather than county offices? I'm wondering if there's a better number to call for system-wide outages like this.
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Sasha Reese
•Hey! I'm new here but dealing with the exact same thing in Oakland. From what I've been reading in this thread, it sounds like the system is starting to come back online - some people are reporting their cards are working again as of a few hours ago. Definitely try your card again today if you haven't already! And that tip about trying ATMs inside actual bank branches instead of standalone ones might be worth a shot too. I know how stressful this is when you have bills due - hoping it gets sorted out for you soon!
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Noah huntAce420
Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this multiple times over the past few years. The EBT system outages are unfortunately pretty common, especially during the first week of the month when everyone's trying to access their benefits. What I've learned is to always try the cash back option at grocery stores first - even when ATMs are down, the point-of-sale systems at stores often still work for cash withdrawals. You can usually get up to $40-60 cash back depending on the store. Also, if you're really in a bind with rent, most landlords will accept a money order, and you can get those at the post office or many grocery stores using your EBT cash benefits once the system is back up. Hang in there everyone - these outages are super frustrating but they do get resolved!
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Yuki Tanaka
•Thanks for all the helpful tips! I'm new to receiving CalFresh benefits and had no idea about the cash back option at grocery stores - that's really good to know for future outages. I've been panicking thinking I could only access cash through ATMs. Quick question though - do all grocery stores that accept EBT offer cash back, or are there specific chains that are better for this? I want to make sure I know my options before the next time this happens!
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