California CalFresh

i was on calfresh during shutdown in 2019 and my money came on time every month. same day as always. never missed once.

As someone who's been through multiple shutdowns while receiving CalFresh, I can confirm what others are saying - your benefits WILL continue! The EBT system is automated and federally protected. I've never missed a payment in 4 years, even during the longest shutdown in 2019. Your caseworker probably meant well but gave you incorrect information. For your recertification next week, I'd suggest calling your county office Monday morning to confirm the appointment is still scheduled. Even if there are delays, they typically extend your benefits automatically so you don't go without food. Don't panic - you and your kids will be fed! 💙

Just FYI - once they recalculate your benefits with the correct expenses, they should give you retroactive benefits back to when you applied if you're owed more. So make sure to ask about that when you call!

Hey there! I went through something similar when I first applied. The whole process is really overwhelming, especially when you're counting on those benefits to feed your family. From reading through all the comments here, it sounds like you have several expenses that might not have been properly counted - the after-school program alone could make a big difference in your benefit amount since childcare costs are a major deduction. When you call (and definitely try that Claimyr service someone mentioned if you keep getting disconnected), make sure you have all your documentation ready. I learned the hard way that they need proof of everything. Also, don't be afraid to ask them to walk you through exactly how they calculated your benefits - they're supposed to explain it if you ask. You've got this, and it sounds like you could potentially get a higher benefit amount once they have all the correct information!

Same thing happened to me starting Monday! I was getting so stressed thinking maybe my account got flagged or something went wrong with my case. This thread has been a lifesaver - knowing it's a statewide issue makes me feel way better. I actually tried that Claimyr service that @GalaxyGuardian mentioned and it worked perfectly! Got connected to my county worker in about 20 minutes instead of being stuck on hold forever. She confirmed my benefits are fine and should load normally despite the website issues. For anyone still struggling to get through by phone, I'd definitely recommend giving Claimyr a try. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're all in this together!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm also having the exact same login issues since Sunday - kept thinking I was losing my mind with my own password! It's incredibly reassuring to know this is a statewide problem affecting so many people. I was getting really worried about my upcoming recertification appointment and whether my case worker could access my information. Thank you @Miguel Silva for the update from your county office and @Amina Toure for all the professional insights about the 72-hour timeline and alternative ways to check our status. I'm definitely going to try that EBT customer service line tomorrow. It's so frustrating when these systems fail, but this community support makes all the difference in not feeling alone and panicked about it!

Just wanted to update everyone - I had the same issue last weekend and finally got through to someone at the county yesterday. The rep told me there was a system-wide issue with EBT cards at farmers markets using certain wireless terminals (just like someone mentioned above). They're aware of the problem and working on fixing it. For now, she said you can ask the market manager if they have a manual voucher system as a backup. Also, some vendors have the updated terminals that work fine. Hope this helps someone!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! My card has been working fine everywhere else but got declined at three different vendors at the Midtown Farmers Market last Saturday. Really glad to see this isn't just me - I was starting to worry my benefits got suspended or something. The Market Match program is such a lifesaver for stretching our grocery budget, especially with fresh produce being so expensive lately. Going to try calling the county office tomorrow morning right at 8 AM like someone suggested. Thanks for posting about this - it's reassuring to know others are experiencing the same technical problems and that there might be a fix coming soon!

You can check your household composition on BenefitsCal.com if you have an account. Log in and look at your case summary - it should show all household members currently on your case. While you're there, also check if there are any electronic notices you might have missed. Sometimes they send communications through the portal without sending a paper copy.

That confirms it - they're incorrectly counting your child support as income. Per CalFresh regulations (MPP Section 63-502.2), child support received is specifically excluded from countable income. When you get through to a worker, direct them to that regulation. Also, since you've found the error, you have a right to request retroactive benefits for any months you received less than you were entitled to. Make sure to specifically ask for that when they fix the error.