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Just wanted to share my experience from last week! I went to the Target in Modesto and they definitely accept EBT for vegetable seeds and starter plants. I bought tomato seedlings, bell pepper plants, and packets of lettuce and spinach seeds with no issues at all. The cashier even knew exactly which items were eligible when I asked. One thing I learned - make sure to check the plant labels carefully. They had some tomato plants labeled as "decorative" that wouldn't qualify, but the ones in the vegetable section were clearly marked as food-producing. The prices were pretty reasonable too, about $3-4 per plant. Also seconding what others said about farmers markets! Found one near me that does Market Match and got $20 worth of herb plants for just $10 in EBT. They had basil, cilantro, oregano, and even some fruit tree saplings. Way better selection than the big box stores and the vendors were super helpful with growing tips!
This is so helpful! I'm new to both CalFresh and gardening, so I really appreciate you sharing the specific details about Target and checking plant labels. I didn't realize some tomato plants might be labeled as "decorative" - that would have been confusing at checkout! The farmers market tip sounds amazing too. Do you remember which farmers market you went to? I'm in the Central Valley area and would love to find one with Market Match nearby.
I've been growing my own vegetables with CalFresh for three years now and wanted to share some additional tips! Beyond the stores mentioned, I've had success at these places: - Food 4 Less (they have a small garden section in spring) - Smart & Final (limited selection but takes EBT for seeds) - Some Lowe's locations (call first - it's hit or miss like Home Depot) One thing I wish I knew when starting: buy a soil thermometer! Seeds won't germinate if the soil is too cold, and I wasted money my first year planting too early. Also, cherry tomatoes and green beans are super productive - you'll get way more food per plant than regular tomatoes. For anyone worried about not having gardening experience, start small! Even a few pots on a balcony or windowsill can grow herbs and lettuce. I started with just basil and cilantro in containers and now I have a full backyard garden that saves me about $50/month on groceries. The initial investment in seeds/plants pays for itself pretty quickly, especially with these crazy 2025 food prices! The Market Match program really is a game-changer if you can find participating farmers markets. Some even have classes on container gardening specifically for people with limited space.
This is such incredible advice! I had no idea about the soil thermometer - that would have saved me from making that exact mistake. I'm definitely going to start small like you suggested. The cherry tomato and green bean recommendations are perfect since I want to get the most food possible from my limited space and EBT budget. Do you happen to know roughly what time of year is best to start planting in California? I don't want to jump the gun again with cold soil!
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Hey Madison! I just went through this exact situation when I moved from CA to Arizona last fall. Here's what worked for me: Call your CA county office ASAP (don't wait for SAR7) and give them your exact move date. I called mine 3 weeks ahead and they were super helpful. Your EBT card will definitely work in Colorado for any remaining balance. For Colorado SNAP, I'd recommend applying online about 2 weeks before you move - they'll need your new address but you can explain you're relocating. Also, keep all your CalFresh paperwork! Colorado asked me for my previous benefit history during their application process. One thing that really helped - I stocked up on non-perishables the month before moving using my CA benefits, which bridged the gap perfectly. Colorado's processing time was actually faster than CA's was initially. You'll do great, and Denver has amazing food resources too if you need backup during the transition!
This is incredibly helpful, thank you so much! I love the idea of stocking up on non-perishables beforehand - that's such a practical way to bridge any gap. And it's really reassuring to hear that Colorado's processing was faster than California's initial application. I'm definitely going to call my county office this week to give them the heads up. Did Arizona require any specific documents that were different from California, or was it pretty similar paperwork? Also, do you remember if they asked about your reason for moving or was it just a standard application process?
I went through this same situation 6 months ago moving from California to Oregon! Here's what I learned: definitely report your move immediately - don't wait for the SAR7. I made the mistake of waiting and it created confusion with my case. Your California EBT will work in Colorado for existing benefits, but like others said, no new benefits once you move. For Colorado SNAP, I'd suggest calling their office directly after you apply online - they were super helpful and walked me through exactly what documents I needed. One tip nobody mentioned: if you have any CalFresh overpayments or issues on your CA case, resolve those BEFORE you move because it can complicate your new state application. Also, Colorado has some great food banks in Denver if you need help during the transition period. The whole process was less scary than I thought it would be once I got organized with all my paperwork. You've got this!
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I'm new to this community but going through the exact same frustrating situation with my P-EBT card! My mail delivery has been incredibly unreliable lately - sometimes I don't get anything for 3-4 days, then suddenly get a massive pile of mail that's clearly been sitting somewhere. I have two kids who qualify through their school's free lunch program and I'm really stressed about missing their cards. After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy tomorrow since that seems to be when people have the most success getting through to a real person. I had absolutely no idea that P-EBT was completely separate from regular CalFresh - that explains why I was so confused when updating my address in BenefitsCal didn't seem to affect anything! I'm also going to check with my local post office since they've been having major staffing issues and our regular carrier has been out for weeks. It's such a huge relief to find other parents dealing with the same challenges and actually sharing practical solutions. Thank you everyone for taking the time to help each other navigate this complicated system - it makes this whole stressful process feel much more manageable!
Welcome to the community! I'm also brand new here and dealing with the exact same mail delivery issues - it's honestly such a relief to find so many parents going through this together! My mail has been just as unreliable, and I have one child who should be getting P-EBT benefits. I've been putting off calling because I heard the wait times were terrible, but seeing all these success stories with the 8am strategy is really encouraging. The separate P-EBT system thing completely blindsided me too - I spent weeks thinking my CalFresh address update would cover everything! I'm planning to call tomorrow morning as well and also check with my post office since our mail situation sounds very similar. It's amazing how this community shares such practical, real-world solutions. Good luck with your call - hopefully we can both finally get some answers about our kids' cards!
I'm new to this community and dealing with the exact same P-EBT mail delivery nightmare! My mail has been so inconsistent - our regular carrier retired and the substitutes keep missing entire streets some days. I have three kids who should be getting benefits and I've been panicking about the cards getting lost or delivered to wrong addresses. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea so many families were facing the same challenges! The 8am calling strategy that multiple people have mentioned seems to be the golden ticket, so I'm definitely setting my alarm tomorrow to try the hotline right when they open. I also had no clue that P-EBT was completely separate from regular CalFresh - that explains why updating my address through BenefitsCal didn't help at all! I'm going to check with my local post office too since they've been having major staffing shortages. Thank you to everyone who's shared their tips and success stories - it's such a relief to know there are actual solutions and that other parents have figured out how to navigate this confusing system!
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and facing the exact same frustrating situation with my P-EBT card and unreliable mail delivery. It's so reassuring to find other parents dealing with these issues - I was starting to feel like I was the only one struggling with this! My mail carrier situation is similar to yours with substitutes missing deliveries entirely. I have two kids who qualify and I've been so worried about missing their cards. The 8am calling strategy seems to be the consensus here for actually getting through to someone, so I'm planning to try that tomorrow too. I also had no idea P-EBT was separate from regular CalFresh - that explains so much confusion! Your idea about checking with the post office is smart since so many areas are dealing with staffing issues. It's amazing how helpful this community is with sharing real solutions that actually work. Good luck with your call tomorrow - hopefully we can all finally get this sorted out!
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This thread has been so helpful! I just wanted to add that if you're having trouble with the ACP application process, don't give up. I actually had my first application rejected because I accidentally uploaded the wrong document (sent my EBT card photo instead of my CalFresh approval letter), but I reapplied with the correct paperwork and got approved within a few days. The customer service for ACP was actually pretty good when I called to ask what went wrong. They walked me through exactly what documents they needed and even stayed on the line while I resubmitted everything. Sometimes these government programs actually do work if you're persistent!
Thanks for sharing that! It's really encouraging to hear that the customer service was actually helpful when you had issues. I was worried about applying because I've had such bad experiences with other government programs where you can never reach anyone or they give you the runaround. Good to know they'll actually walk you through fixing problems if something goes wrong with the application. I'm definitely going to apply now - this whole thread has convinced me there's real help available if you just take the time to apply for it.
This whole thread is amazing - I had no idea there were so many different programs and discounts available! I just got my CalFresh benefits a couple months ago and nobody told me about any of this stuff when I applied. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like there are discounts for internet, phone service, Amazon Prime, and even help from libraries and schools. I feel like there should be some kind of comprehensive list or guide that tells you all the benefits you qualify for when you get approved for CalFresh. It's crazy that people have to stumble across this information by accident or through community forums like this. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - I'm going to start applying for these programs this weekend!
You're absolutely right! It's frustrating that there isn't a comprehensive guide when you first get approved for CalFresh. I think part of the problem is that these programs are run by different agencies - ACP is through the FCC, Lifeline is through different companies, Amazon Prime discount is directly through Amazon, etc. So the CalFresh office might not even know about all of them. This thread has been like a masterclass in benefits I never knew existed! Maybe we should start keeping a running list in this community of all the different programs people discover. It would be so helpful for newcomers to have everything in one place instead of having to piece it together from random conversations.
Amina Diallo
The whole program is confusing. I got the extra money too but when I tried to use it at Walmart they said they don't take it, only regular CalFresh. Then I went to Target and same thing! Wasted so much time and gas going to stores that don't even accept it. The county should give us a clear list of stores instead of making us guess.
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Yara Sayegh
•You're right that it can be confusing. Major retailers like Walmart and Target generally DON'T accept the CA F&V incentive funds - they only take regular CalFresh. Your best bet is farmers markets first, then check smaller community grocers and specific chains like Food 4 Less, Northgate, or Superior. The app should have a "Find Stores" option that shows participating retailers, though it's not always 100% updated.
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Paolo Longo
Just to clarify some confusion I'm seeing in the comments: There are actually a few different but similar programs that might be getting mixed up: 1. California Fruit & Vegetable EBT - The extra benefits loaded directly to your EBT card automatically 2. Market Match - A farmers market program where they match your CalFresh spending (usually up to $10) 3. Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) - Sometimes gives paper vouchers for specific populations To check your California F&V EBT balance, use the CalFresh EBT app. For Market Match, just ask at the info booth at participating farmers markets. They usually give you tokens or vouchers to spend that day.
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Connor Gallagher
•Oh! That explains why I was confused. So I might have both the automatic extra money AND be able to get matching funds at farmers markets? That's awesome!
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Zoe Papadakis
•Exactly! You can potentially benefit from both programs. The California F&V EBT benefits are automatically loaded to your card each month (use those for any qualifying purchases at participating stores), AND if you shop at farmers markets that do Market Match, you can get additional matching funds when you spend your regular CalFresh benefits there. It's like getting double benefits - just make sure to ask the farmers market staff how their matching program works since each market might have slightly different rules.
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