California CalFresh

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their helpful advice! I ended up trying a few different things. First, I tried Firefox instead of Chrome like someone suggested, but still had the same issue. Then I used Claimyr to get through to my county office (it really did work!) and spoke with a worker who confirmed there's a system update happening that's affected some accounts. She helped me submit my recertification over the phone and also sent me an email confirmation that my benefits won't be discontinued while they resolve the technical issue. I also printed and filled out the SAWS 2 Plus form as a backup and dropped it off at the county office dropbox (with photos for proof like someone suggested). Such a relief to have this figured out! Thanks again to everyone who helped.

So glad to hear you got it resolved! This is exactly why I love this community - everyone jumps in to help when someone's struggling with the system. Your update will definitely help other people who run into the same issue. It's crazy that these system updates cause so much stress for people who are just trying to keep their benefits, but at least now we know what to expect and have multiple backup plans. Thanks for taking the time to update us on what worked!

Yes! I finally got through this morning after trying for an hour. They confirmed they received my paperwork but it hadn't been processed yet. The worker I spoke with was able to review it while I was on the phone and approve it! She said benefits should be on my card within 24 hours. She also mentioned that technically they have up to 10 days to process verification for an active case, but they try to do it faster. Hope that helps for your situation next month!

That's great news! I'm so glad you were able to get through and get it resolved quickly. It's really helpful to know that they have up to 10 days but usually try to process faster. Thanks for updating us - I was worried about how things turned out for you and your kids. Definitely saving that tip about calling right when they open, seems like persistence really paid off in your case!

One more important tip - when you apply for CalFresh in San Diego, you'll be automatically evaluated for the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) if you don't meet certain CalFresh eligibility requirements. The income limits and benefits are similar. Also, make sure to report any housing costs like rent and utilities during your application, as these can be deducted when calculating your benefit amount - potentially giving you more food benefits each month.

As someone who recently went through this process in San Diego, I wanted to add that you should also download the BenefitsCal mobile app once you get approved - it's really handy for checking your EBT balance and benefit status on the go. Also, if you're job hunting or have irregular income during your transition, make sure to report any income changes promptly to avoid overpayments. San Diego has several food pantries and community resources too if you need help while waiting for approval - places like Feeding San Diego have locations throughout the county. The whole process seemed overwhelming at first but it's totally manageable once you get started. Good luck with your move!

This whole thread is so eye-opening! I had no idea about the IRT reporting requirements either - they really don't explain this stuff clearly when you first apply. It's crazy that working extra holiday hours can mess up your benefits for months afterward. I'm dealing with a similar situation where my benefits got reduced by $95 last month with zero explanation. Based on what everyone's shared here, I'm thinking it might be related to some overtime I worked during the busy season at my retail job. I had no clue I was supposed to report temporary income increases! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially @Brianna Schmidt for the detailed update. I'm going to call tomorrow and ask for that benefit calculation breakdown that @Isabella Tucker mentioned. Fingers crossed I can actually get through to someone without waiting hours on hold!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a new CalFresh recipient and had no idea about the IRT reporting requirements. Reading about everyone's experiences with sudden benefit reductions is really eye-opening - it sounds like the system has some serious communication issues. @Brianna Schmidt thank you so much for sharing your update! It's frustrating that you had to go through all that just to find out about the address issue and overtime income affecting your benefits. The fact that temporary holiday work can impact benefits for months seems really counterproductive. I'm going to make sure I have my IRT number written down and understand exactly when I need to report income changes. Does anyone know if there's an official resource that clearly explains all these reporting requirements? It seems like a lot of people are getting caught off guard by rules that aren't well communicated during the application process. Also noting down that tip about Claimyr for getting through to county offices - hopefully I won't need it but good to know it exists!

Another thing to consider is that sometimes there are discrepancies in how items are categorized. If you believe something should be EBT eligible but wasn't accepted, you can actually report this to the USDA SNAP Retailer Service Center. They can investigate if a store is incorrectly categorizing eligible food items. For future shopping, you might want to stick to major grocery stores for your CalFresh purchases, as they typically have better systems in place for identifying eligible items. Big Lots, Dollar General, and similar discount stores sometimes have issues with their POS systems not properly identifying SNAP-eligible foods.

Just wanted to add that you can also use the SNAP Retailer Locator on the USDA website to find stores in your area that are authorized to accept EBT and have better track records with properly coding items. Some smaller discount stores like Big Lots are newer to accepting EBT and their systems aren't always updated correctly. Also, if you're shopping on a tight budget, consider downloading store apps before you shop - some will show EBT eligibility right in the app so you can plan your purchases ahead of time. Safeway and Lucky's apps do this pretty well in California. One last tip: if you're ever unsure about an item, you can ask the cashier to ring it up separately first to test if it's EBT eligible before adding your other items. Saves the embarrassment of finding out at the end!