Anyone in LA County received their P-EBT 4.0 notification letters yet?
Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone in Los Angeles County has started receiving their P-EBT 4.0 letters in the mail? I've been checking my mailbox every day for the past two weeks and nothing yet. My neighbor mentioned she got something about P-EBT but wasn't sure if it was the new 4.0 round. My kids qualified for free school meals all last year, so we should be eligible. Getting kinda worried since I heard some counties already started distributing them. Anyone else in LA County still waiting or have you gotten yours already?
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Noah Lee
got mine yesterday!!! kids r excited cuz that means extra food money. im in north hollywood area if that helps. letter says benefits should load next month but didnt say exact date
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Olivia Garcia
•Oh that's good to hear they're starting to arrive! I'm in Pasadena area so maybe mine will come this week. Did the letter mention how much per child? Last round was like $120/month per kid I think?
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Ava Hernandez
Nothing here in Long Beach yet and I'm FREAKING OUT because we really need it. My neighbors got theirs yesterday and we have the same situation - 3 kids, all on free lunch program. Does anyone know if they're sending them out based on alphabet or something? Or could mine have gotten lost? Should I call the county already or wait longer? I'm so stressed because our regular CalFresh benefits just got cut by $75 last month and every bit helps.
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Isabella Martin
•P-EBT 4.0 letters are being sent in batches through June 2025, so not everyone will receive them at the same time. According to the CDSS website, they're prioritizing families with the lowest incomes first, not by alphabet. If your neighbors with similar circumstances received theirs, it might be worth calling to check, but I'd wait another week before assuming it's lost. The P-EBT hotline is 877-328-9677, but expect long wait times. The benefit amount for 2025 is approximately $138 per eligible child per month for the school year period.
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Elijah Jackson
I'm in Glendale and got mine Tuesday. But honestly, I'm a little confused by it. The letter mentions P-EBT 4.0 but doesn't clearly explain if this is different from regular CalFresh benefits. We already get CalFresh - will this be additional money on our existing EBT card or a separate card? Anyone know? The letter wasn't super clear about that part.
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Sophia Miller
•P-EBT is totally different from regular CalFresh! It's a separate program specifically for families with kids who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. If your kids already got P-EBT before, the benefits will load onto that same P-EBT card (the white one, not your golden CalFresh EBT card). If this is your first time getting P-EBT, they'll mail you a new card. And yes, this is ADDITIONAL to whatever CalFresh you already get, so it's extra help!
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Mason Davis
I work with families applying for benefits, and there's been some confusion about P-EBT 4.0. Here's what you need to know: 1. P-EBT 4.0 covers the 2024-2025 school year 2. Distribution started May 2025 and continues through June 3. Benefits are retroactive to cover the whole eligible period 4. Families don't need to apply - it's automatic if your child qualified for free/reduced meals 5. New P-EBT cards will be sent to first-time recipients 6. Previous recipients will have funds added to their existing P-EBT card If you haven't received your notification by mid-June, then it's appropriate to follow up. The P-EBT hotline (877-328-9677) is experiencing extremely high call volumes right now.
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Mia Rodriguez
•thx for info. do u know if kids in headstart automatically qualify? my daughter is in headstart not regular school
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Sophia Miller
I tried calling the P-EBT hotline about my missing letter and spent TWO HOURS on hold before getting disconnected! So frustrating! Then I discovered Claimyr.com and it was a game-changer. They got me connected to a real person at the P-EBT department in just 15 minutes. The representative confirmed my letter was scheduled to be mailed next week. If anyone else is struggling to get through on those impossible government phone lines, check out their video demo: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 - seriously saved my sanity and got me answers!
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Olivia Garcia
•I've been on hold with the P-EBT line for 45 minutes already today and still waiting. Might try this service if I get disconnected again. Did they charge you for it?
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Sophia Miller
•Yes, there is a fee, but for me it was worth it to not waste hours on hold just to get disconnected again. I've been trying for days! They connected me quickly and I finally got the information I needed about when my letter would arrive.
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Noah Lee
wait im confused...is p-ebt the same as calfresh??? got a letter about p-ebt but we already have calfresh card
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Isabella Martin
•They're different programs. CalFresh (formerly food stamps) is ongoing food assistance based on household income and is available to anyone who qualifies. P-EBT is specifically for families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, and it was created to help when schools were closed or operating with reduced hours. P-EBT comes on a separate white card, while CalFresh benefits are on a golden EBT card. You can receive both at the same time if you qualify for both.
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Ava Hernandez
I FINALLY GOT MY LETTER TODAY!!! Came in the mail this afternoon. So excited! For anyone still waiting in LA County, they're definitely being delivered now!
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Olivia Garcia
•That's great news! Still checking my mailbox daily but feeling more hopeful now. Thanks for updating us!
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Mia Rodriguez
anyone know what stores accept the p-ebt card? can we use it at walmart and target or just grocery stores?
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Mason Davis
•P-EBT cards work exactly like regular EBT cards. You can use them at any authorized SNAP retailer, which includes most major grocery stores, Walmart, Target (for food items only), many farmers markets, and even some online retailers like Amazon and Walmart for grocery delivery in most areas. The funds can only be used for food items, not for non-food items, alcohol, vitamins, hot prepared foods, etc.
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Elijah Jackson
Got my letter yesterday, but it said my kids aren't eligible for P-EBT 4.0 because they weren't enrolled in free/reduced meals. But that's WRONG! I definitely filled out the school meal application last fall and got approved. Has anyone else had this issue? Who do I need to talk to - the school or the P-EBT people?
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Isabella Martin
•You should contact both. Start with your children's school nutrition services department to confirm they have your children properly coded as receiving free/reduced meals. Get documentation of your approval if possible. Then contact the P-EBT hotline (877-328-9677) to report the discrepancy. There have been data matching issues between school districts and the P-EBT program in previous rounds. Be prepared for a long wait on the P-EBT hotline, or consider using a service to help connect with them more quickly. Keep documentation of all communications.
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Diego Mendoza
Still waiting here in West LA! Been checking my mailbox religiously for the past three weeks and nothing yet. My kids are definitely eligible since they've been getting free lunch all year. Reading everyone's updates is giving me hope though - sounds like they're still rolling out in batches. At least I know I'm not the only one still waiting! Going to give it another week before I start worrying about calling the hotline.
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Destiny Bryant
•I'm in the same boat in West LA! Been checking daily and nothing yet. My kids have been on free lunch all year too. It's reassuring to know others are still waiting - I was starting to think mine got lost in the mail or something. From what I'm reading it sounds like they're definitely still distributing them, so I'm trying to stay patient. Maybe we'll both get ours this week!
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