i think its super weird they can see every place we shop tho... feels like being stalked by the government lol

This is so frustrating and honestly feels like harassment! I've been on CalFresh for 2 years and had no idea they were tracking where I shop. Like others have said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with using your EBT card in a different city - especially when you work there! I think the worker was way out of line calling you in for an "appointment" without explaining what it was about, then making you feel like you were doing something wrong. You shouldn't have to justify normal grocery shopping patterns. Definitely document everything from this interaction and consider filing a complaint. Workers need to understand the difference between actual fraud (like selling benefits) and normal life circumstances like working in a different city. Hope you get this resolved quickly!

I just wanted to follow up - were you able to get an emergency card from the county office? The process should be: 1. Call the Sacramento County office (916-874-3100) 2. Explain your situation and request emergency card issuance 3. Bring government-issued photo ID to your appointment 4. They will verify your identity and benefits status 5. You should receive a temporary card you can use immediately Let us know if this worked for you!

So glad you were able to get the temporary card! That's such a relief when you're dealing with food insecurity. For anyone else reading this thread who might face this situation in the future, it's worth noting that some food banks and pantries in Sacramento County can also help bridge the gap while you're waiting for your replacement EBT card. The Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services has several locations and doesn't require documentation - just show up during their distribution hours. It's not ideal having to rely on charity when your benefits are sitting there inaccessible, but it can help ensure you and your family don't go hungry during that waiting period.

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - the uncertainty of not knowing when your benefits will come through while trying to feed your kids is absolutely heartbreaking. I went through something very similar about 8 months ago and it took nearly 6 weeks total from submission to approval. What finally broke the logjam for me was doing three things simultaneously: I used Claimyr to get through to an actual worker (it really does work - got connected in under 10 minutes after weeks of busy signals), filed a formal complaint with the California Department of Social Services online for processing delays exceeding 30 days, and contacted my assemblymember's office with a signed release form. The assemblymember's office was honestly the game-changer - within 48 hours of their inquiry, my case was suddenly "urgent" and processed immediately. Apparently the county offices really respond when elected officials start asking questions about delays. In the meantime, definitely call 211 for emergency food resources and check if your kids' schools have weekend backpack programs. Some churches also have "blessing boxes" or little free pantries that can help bridge the gap while you're waiting. You're doing everything right - this system is broken, not you. Your kids shouldn't have to go without because of administrative failures. Keep fighting for your family!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! My renewal has been "processing" for 3.5 weeks now and I'm getting really frustrated with the lack of clear communication from the county office. My 8-year-old keeps asking why we can't have his usual after-school snacks and it's breaking my heart. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though - I had no idea about the difference between "pulling" and "processing" or that I could contact my state representative for help. The Claimyr service sounds like it's worth trying since so many people have had success getting through the phone lines with it. What really bothers me is that this seems to be a widespread systemic problem rather than isolated cases. It's unacceptable that so many families are going weeks without benefits because of administrative delays that should only take a few days. We shouldn't have to become experts at navigating broken bureaucracy just to feed our children. I'm going to try the multi-pronged approach that Maya suggested - Claimyr to get through the phones, filing a complaint with the state for delays over 30 days, and contacting my assemblymember's office. Hopefully one of those will finally get my case moving. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and advice - it helps to know we're not alone in this struggle!

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!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so relieved I found this thread! I just experienced this exact same issue last week - called the EBT line and heard absolutely nothing about future deposits, which sent me into complete panic mode. I'm only about a month into receiving CalFresh benefits and immediately assumed I'd somehow messed up my case or missed some critical paperwork. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring, especially @ce65d8d68218's professional explanation about system updates and watching @513d690470b8's journey from worry to relief. I had no idea BenefitsCal.com existed as an alternative way to check! Just logged in and sure enough, my benefits are showing as "pending issuance" there too. It's amazing how much anxiety a simple technical glitch can cause when you're still learning how all these systems work and don't know what's normal versus what's actually concerning. This community is exactly what I was hoping to find - people who genuinely understand the stress of depending on these benefits and actually have helpful solutions to share. Thank you all for being so welcoming and supportive to newcomers like me!

Also, make sure to submit your SAR7 form when they send it to you around the 5th month! So many people lose their benefits because they forget to return that form. It's a simple income report but if you don't send it back, they'll cut off your benefits and you'll have to reapply from scratch. Ask me how I know...😩

Welcome to the CalFresh community! Sounds like you've gotten some really solid advice here. Just wanted to add that if you're ever unsure about whether something is EBT-eligible at the store, most items will show "EBT" on the receipt or shelf tag. Also, farmer's markets often accept EBT and some even have matching programs where they'll double your benefits for fresh produce - definitely worth looking into in your area. You've got this! The first month is always the most confusing but it gets much easier once you get into the routine.