I'm new to this community and currently facing the same General Affidavit situation! This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I wish I had found it when I first got that confusing form in the mail. One thing I wanted to add that helped me organize my thoughts: I created a simple "who, what, when, where, why, how much" list before writing anything formal. It sounds basic, but it really helped ensure I covered all the key points: - WHO: Names and relationships of all household members - WHAT: My specific living arrangement and financial contributions - WHEN: Exact dates (move-in, duration, etc.) - WHERE: Complete address details - WHY: Explanation for why standard documentation isn't available - HOW MUCH: Specific dollar amounts for all contributions This approach helped me avoid the rambling paragraphs I was writing initially and made sure I hit all the important details the worker would need to verify my situation. Also, after reading everyone's advice about supporting documentation, I realized I should organize a simple "evidence packet" with numbered documents like others suggested. Having everything clearly labeled and referenced will hopefully make the worker's job easier and speed up my approval. Thank you all for sharing such detailed, practical advice! It's incredibly reassuring to know that so many people have successfully navigated this process. Reading your experiences has transformed what felt like an impossible task into something manageable with the right preparation.

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here! I was completely panicked when I got my General Affidavit form yesterday, but reading through all of your detailed advice has made this so much more manageable. I'm in a very similar situation - single mom staying with my brother temporarily while I get back on my feet. Based on all the incredible guidance here, I've started organizing my approach using the timeline method several people mentioned, and I'm gathering all my Venmo payments and text message conversations as supporting evidence. One quick question: if my brother and I split household expenses in multiple ways (I pay part of rent, he covers utilities, I buy most groceries), should I try to calculate an exact monthly dollar amount I contribute, or is it okay to explain the arrangement more generally? I'm worried about making it sound too complicated, but I also want to be as specific as possible like everyone recommended. Also, has anyone had experience submitting the affidavit along with supporting documents through the online portal versus dropping everything off in person? I'm trying to decide which method might be more reliable for ensuring everything gets processed together. This community is amazing - thank you all for turning what felt like an impossible situation into something I can actually tackle with confidence!

I've been working with homeless CalFresh recipients for about 3 years now, and I want to emphasize something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand the difference between "temporary" and "permanent" homelessness in the new 2025 system. If you've been homeless for over a year like you mentioned, you'll likely qualify for the "chronic homelessness" category which has even more streamlined requirements and potentially higher benefits. This is separate from the shelter/unsheltered distinctions others have talked about. Also, since you mentioned having a reading disability, you should know that the new rules specifically require counties to provide information in accessible formats. Don't hesitate to ask for verbal explanations of ALL written materials - it's your right, not a favor they're doing you. The key thing to remember is that these changes are happening because advocates have been pushing for years to make the system work better for homeless people. The old system was designed assuming everyone had a stable address, which obviously doesn't work for folks in your situation. Keep asking questions and don't let anyone rush you through the process. You deserve to understand what's happening with your benefits.

Hey there! I want to piggyback on what everyone else has shared because this is such important information. I've been helping people navigate CalFresh for about 5 years through a local nonprofit. One thing that might help you specifically - since you mentioned having trouble with reading the official notices - is that many counties are now required to have "plain language" versions of important documents starting in 2025. These are written in much simpler terms without all the confusing legal jargon. Also, if you're comfortable with it, consider connecting with a local homeless services organization if you haven't already. Many of them have staff who specialize in helping people maintain benefits through housing transitions. They can often act as an advocate if you run into any problems with your case. The fact that you're being proactive about understanding these changes puts you in a really good position. Most people don't find out about benefit changes until they're already affected by them. You're already ahead of the game by asking these questions now! And just to echo what others have said - these changes really are designed to help, not hurt, people experiencing homelessness. The advocacy community has been working for years to get these improvements implemented.

Another option for working parents that might help - some grocery stores like Whole Foods and Safeway have hot food bars and prepared food sections where you can use EBT. You can get things like hot soup, pizza slices, fried chicken, etc. It's not as convenient as drive-through but it's faster than cooking from scratch and usually cheaper than restaurant prices. Just make sure the items are meant to be eaten at home (not restaurant-style dining). I've used this when I'm too exhausted to cook but still need to feed my kids something decent!

Just wanted to add that some counties also have mobile food vendors and food trucks that participate in RMP! I've seen this in LA County where certain food trucks at specific locations on certain days will accept EBT from RMP-eligible recipients. It's not widely advertised but if you qualify for RMP, it might be worth asking your caseworker if there are any mobile food options in your area. The selection changes frequently but I've seen everything from taco trucks to sandwich vendors participate. It's another option beyond just the brick-and-mortar fast food places that everyone's been mentioning.

Hi Joshua! I'm new to this community but have been reading through all the amazing advice everyone has shared. Based on everything I've learned here, I'd definitely recommend reporting your rent increase to CalFresh first - it sounds like that could potentially solve your food budget problem without any of the complications that come with General Relief. The experiences people have shared about getting $70-90/month increases from reporting rent bumps are really encouraging! Since your rent went up $200, you could see a significant boost to your $231/month benefit. The 1-2 week processing time that several people mentioned sounds way more manageable than dealing with all the GR requirements. I had no idea before reading this thread that General Relief was actually a loan you have to repay! Between the workfare hours, monthly check-ins, job search documentation, and potential forced disability applications, it sounds like a lot of bureaucratic hassle for $391/month. Plus the stories about people losing benefits for missing appointments are concerning. While you're waiting for your CalFresh increase to process, definitely check out those food banks that Zara and others mentioned. It sounds like San Bernardino County has some good mobile pantry options that could help supplement your groceries without any paperwork. This community is such an incredible resource - I've learned so much just from reading everyone's experiences! Good luck with reporting your rent increase - it really sounds like that could be exactly what you need to make your food budget work better.

Hi Joshua! I'm new to this community but have been reading through all the incredibly helpful advice everyone has shared here. Based on all the experiences people have posted, I'd definitely recommend reporting your rent increase to CalFresh first before considering General Relief. The success stories from community members about getting $70-90/month benefit increases from reporting rent bumps of $150-200 are really encouraging for your situation! Since your rent went up $200, you could potentially see a similar increase that might bring your CalFresh benefits up to around $300-320/month, which could make a huge difference in covering your food costs. I had no idea before reading this thread that General Relief was actually a loan you have to repay eventually - that's such an important detail that really changes the whole equation! Plus all the workfare requirements, monthly check-ins, and job search documentation that people mentioned make it sound like a lot of bureaucratic hassle for $391/month. The processing time of 1-2 weeks that several people mentioned for CalFresh rent increase reports sounds way more manageable than dealing with all the GR complications. You can report it through BenefitsCal online with documentation of your new rent amount. While you're waiting for the CalFresh increase to process, definitely check out those food banks that other members mentioned - sounds like San Bernardino County has some good mobile pantry options that could help bridge the gap without any paperwork. This community is such an amazing resource for navigating these programs! Good luck with reporting your rent increase - it really sounds like that could solve your problem without all the GR complications.

This is so frustrating and I completely understand your anger about the system! I've been a CalFresh recipient for about a year now and while I haven't had benefits completely disappear like yours, I've definitely experienced the nightmare of trying to reach someone at the county office. One thing that worked for me when I had a different EBT issue was calling the state's CalFresh hotline (1-877-847-3663) instead of just the EBT customer service line. They have access to different systems and can sometimes see things that the regular EBT folks can't. Also, they tend to have shorter wait times than calling your county directly. I know everyone's suggesting different ways to reach your county worker, but if none of those pan out, you can also file a complaint with the California Department of Social Services online. When there's an official complaint filed, counties are required to respond within specific timeframes. Hang in there - this shouldn't be happening to families and you have every right to be upset. Your kids deserve better than this broken system putting their food security at risk!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - having benefits just vanish when you have kids to feed is one of the most stressful situations imaginable. I went through something similar about 6 months ago and it turned out my account had been flagged for a "routine eligibility review" that somehow got stuck in the system, causing my benefits to be temporarily suspended without any notification to me. What finally worked for me was getting a three-way call set up between myself, my county eligibility worker, and the EBT technical support team. The county worker was able to see that benefits had been properly authorized on their end, while the EBT tech could see that there was a system sync error preventing the benefits from showing up on my card. Once they were all on the same call, they fixed it within about 20 minutes and my benefits were restored the same day. I know reaching your county worker is the biggest challenge right now, but based on what others have shared about this being a known system issue, you might have better luck if you specifically mention "EBT sync error" when you finally get through - it seems to be a recognized problem they know how to fix once they understand what's happening. Also, don't forget you can request emergency food assistance from your county while this is being resolved. They have provisions for situations exactly like this where technical problems are preventing access to authorized benefits.