Anyone in Shasta County received P-EBT cards for kids with names starting with N yet?

Thanks! Good to know they're actually moving through the alphabet. Did yours come in a plain white envelope? I'm worried I might have missed it or thrown it out accidentally.

Oh shoot, it's by LAST name? That explains it - our last name starts with V so we probably have at least 2 more weeks to wait. Thanks for clearing that up! I'll double check with the school that they have our correct address.

Have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that helps you skip those long CalFresh and EBT phone waits. I was dealing with a similar P-EBT issue last month and was going crazy trying to reach someone. Found them at claimyr.com and they got me connected to a real person in about 15 minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 if you want to see how it works. Worth it when you're dealing with something urgent like missing benefits.

I'll check that out! At this point I'm willing to try anything. My kids qualify for these benefits and I shouldn't have to fight this hard to get them!!

Yes, you definitely need to activate the new P-EBT cards before using them! There should be instructions that came with the card, but if you lost those, call the number on the back of the card. You'll need to set up a PIN using your child's birthday and the last 4 digits of their case number (usually printed on the card carrier or letter). Also important to note - these new 2025 P-EBT cards are different from regular EBT cards and from previous P-EBT distributions. They can only be used for food purchases, not for prepared hot foods or non-food items. Some stores are still updating their systems to recognize them properly.

Different last names perhaps? The P-EBT cards are being distributed alphabetically by last name. Another possibility is that your son's eligibility status is different from your niece's. P-EBT is only available to students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. If your son's eligibility changed since the last school year, that could explain the difference. I'd recommend contacting your school's nutrition services department to verify his current status.

That's not accurate information. The P-EBT program has been authorized through the 2025-2026 school year under the most recent federal appropriations bill. While each state implements the program differently, California has confirmed continued participation. What might be causing confusion is that the benefit amounts and distribution schedule can change from year to year based on federal guidance and state implementation decisions. The current distribution is for the first semester of the 2024-2025 school year, and there will be another distribution for the second semester later in 2025.

can u share the link to that schedule? i have another kid at my sisters house with different last name

Sure! It's at www.cdss.ca.gov/home/p-ebt under the "Distribution Schedule" section. You'll need to select Shasta County from the dropdown menu to see our specific dates.