Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Thank you everyone for all the advice! I've compiled everything and shared it with my neighbor. She's going to the TAD office tomorrow morning and will also call Catholic Charities and 211. I'm going to help her gather all her documents tonight so she's prepared. I'll update if we find a solution that might help others too.
Good luck to your neighbor! One more thing that might help - if she's struggling with utilities too, she should ask about LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) at the same time she applies for other assistance. Sometimes getting help with the electric/gas bill can free up enough money to catch up on rent. Also, many food banks in the Rialto area (like the one at Grace Community Church) provide groceries which can stretch her CalFresh benefits further and leave more cash available for rent. The combination of multiple small assistance programs sometimes works better than waiting for one big rental assistance approval.
Join the conversation
Quick correction to something I'm seeing in the comments: As of January 2025, the resource limits for CalFresh were increased. The current limit is now $5,750 for most households and $7,250 for households with an elderly or disabled member. This is different from CalWORKs which has lower resource limits. Also, many resources don't count toward the limit such as your home, retirement accounts, and one vehicle per adult.
Wait really??? I thought it was way lower! No wonder they approved me even tho I have like $3k in savings! This whole time I've been afraid to save more thinking they'd cut me off 😮
@Paloma Clark - Welcome to San Bernardino County! Just wanted to add that since you're coming from Arizona, make sure to apply for CalFresh within your first 30 days of residency to avoid any gaps in benefits. Also, if you have any elderly or disabled household members, there are additional protections and potentially higher resource limits that might apply. One tip that's helped me and others in SB County: when you submit your application online through BenefitsCal, take screenshots of every page and save confirmation numbers. Their system sometimes has glitches and having that documentation can save you headaches later if there are any disputes about what was submitted. Also, don't be discouraged by some of the processing time horror stories - while San Bernardino can be slower, many applications do go through smoothly within the 30-day timeframe, especially if you submit complete documentation upfront. Good luck with your application!
Join the conversation
UPDATE: I called the EBT customer service number and they were actually really nice! They didn't give me any trouble about losing the card twice. They deactivated my lost card and are sending a new one that should arrive by next Tuesday. I also called 211 and found a food pantry nearby that can help us get through until then. Thanks everyone for calming me down and helping! This community is amazing ❤️
So glad it worked out! Food pantries saved me when I was waiting for my replacement card too. And pro tip: take a picture of your card front and back (cover the CVV) so you always have the number to call if you lose it again!
That's such great news! I'm so relieved everything worked out for you. The food pantry is a really smart solution for the gap period. I've been in similar situations and know how stressful it can be when you're worried about feeding your family. It's awesome that the EBT customer service was understanding - sometimes we build up these worst-case scenarios in our heads that don't actually happen. Thanks for updating us on how it went! Posts like yours really help other people who might be going through the same thing.
Join the conversation
It's under Account Settings, then Notification Preferences. You can choose email, text, or both. I do both just to be safe! They'll send you alerts for status changes, required documents, upcoming deadlines for SAR7 and recertification, and benefit deposits.
I'm so glad you were able to get through and figure out what was holding up your benefits! It's really frustrating that the worker didn't mention needing the housing verification form during your interview - that seems to happen way too often. At least they're going to backdate your benefits to the 7th, so you won't lose out on any money. Hopefully your landlord can fill out that form quickly so you can get your benefits processed ASAP. Thanks for updating us on what happened - this will definitely help other people who run into the same issue!
GalaxyGazer
UPDATE: My benefits came through at 12:10am!! Just got back from the grocery store with ACTUAL FOOD! Thanks everyone for the help. For anyone else wondering, at least in my county (Alameda), they definitely hit around midnight of your assigned day and there's no "lock" - I was able to use them immediately!
0 coins
Aisha Mahmood
•yayy!! so happy for u!! enjoy your food 😁
0 coins
Jamal Brown
So glad you got your benefits and could get some real food! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - if you're ever in a similar situation waiting for benefits, most food banks don't require any paperwork and can help immediately. The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has locations throughout the Bay Area, and many churches have weekend food pantries too. Also, if you download the "Too Good To Go" app, some grocery stores sell discounted food that's near expiration for really cheap. It's helped me stretch my budget between benefit deposits before!
0 coins