Approved for CalFresh homeless assistance but money never arrived after 3 days - kids sleeping in car!

This sounds like something got stuck in their system. For the Homeless Assistance Program through CalFresh, they're required to issue payment within 3 calendar days of approval (even faster in emergencies). Since you were actually at the office and got verbal approval, something definitely went wrong. You need to go back to the office in person first thing tomorrow morning. Bring any paperwork they gave you showing the approval. Ask specifically for a supervisor if your worker isn't available. They can do same-day emergency issuance if they see you're in crisis with children.

omg this is so typical of them!!! i had almost the same thing happen in january. approved in office but no money for FIVE DAYS. turns out they needed to "process" the approval which is different from actually approving u. its so stupid. keep calling every hour and eventually someone will help u. the squeaky wheel gets the oil with calfresh!!!

Check your EBT card balance online at www.ebt.ca.gov - sometimes the phone representatives can't see pending deposits but they might already be scheduled. Also double-check they have the right card number associated with your case.

You need to understand that the Homeless Assistance Program has two different parts: temporary HA and permanent HA. The $595 you mentioned is temporary HA, which covers up to 16 days per year (used to be just 7 days before 2025). Make sure they didn't confuse your application with permanent HA, which helps with security deposits and has a different approval timeline. Also, temporary HA requires you to provide receipts for the temporary housing within 30 days or you have to pay it back - they might be waiting for that even though they shouldn't be.

I used to work for a nonprofit that helped homeless families navigate benefits. Here's what you need to do: 1) Go in person ASAP, 2) Use the phrase "immediate need" and say you're experiencing a "homeless emergency with minor children," 3) Ask to speak with the HA program specialist not just your regular eligibility worker, 4) If they still don't help, ask for the "fair hearing request form" - just asking for this form often gets supervisors involved quickly. Don't leave without either the money on your EBT card or a direct voucher for a hotel.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a real person faster? I was in a similar situation last month (though with regular CalFresh benefits not homeless assistance), and spent DAYS trying to reach someone. A friend told me about Claimyr.com and I was actually speaking to a real worker in about 8 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. In emergency situations like yours, it's worth trying since you need to talk to someone RIGHT NOW not days from now.

Omg this makes me so angry!!!! The system is BROKEN!!! They do this ALL THE TIME - approve people then make them wait while they're literally homeless with CHILDREN!!! I volunteer at a family shelter and see this constantly. Call your county Board of Supervisors office IMMEDIATELY - they can often cut through red tape when there are children involved. Also try 211 - they might know of emergency hotel voucher programs through other agencies while you wait for CalFresh to get their act together.

One more important thing: when you go to the office tomorrow, bring identification for everyone in your household and any documentation showing your homelessness (police report if you were evicted, letter from someone you were staying with, etc). They shouldn't need this since you were already approved, but sometimes workers try to re-verify everything when fixing payment issues. And if possible, line up a hotel that accepts EBT cards directly - some do this for homeless assistance payments. That way you can potentially get shelter the same day.

have u checked ur mail? sometimes they send u a separate EBT card just for the homeless assistance money. happened to my cousin

Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like there was either a system error or miscommunication. The standard process for emergency Temporary Homeless Assistance in 2025 is same-day issuance when there are minor children involved. Since you were approved in-person and have children in your household, you should have received the payment immediately or within hours. When you go back tomorrow, request a printout of your case notes from that day to see exactly what was documented about your approval. This will help determine if it was entered correctly in their system.

I'm so sorry you and your kids are going through this - no family should have to sleep in a car, especially with young children. This is unfortunately a common issue with the system, but there are specific steps you can take. First thing tomorrow morning, go directly to the office and ask for the Homeless Assistance Program supervisor, not just your regular worker. Bring your approval paperwork and use the exact phrase "emergency homeless situation with minor children" - this triggers specific protocols they have to follow. If they still don't resolve it immediately, ask for a fair hearing request form right there - just mentioning this often gets supervisors involved quickly. Also try calling 211 tonight for emergency shelter resources while you wait. The system failed you, but don't give up - there are people who will help you get this resolved.

I'm really sorry you're going through this - having kids sleep in a car is heartbreaking and the system absolutely failed you here. Since you were approved in person with children present, this should have been processed as an emergency same-day payment. Here's what I'd do: 1) Go to the office first thing when they open and specifically ask for the "Homeless Assistance Program supervisor" - don't just talk to your regular worker. 2) Bring your approval paperwork and say you have an "emergency homeless situation with minor children" - these exact words trigger required protocols. 3) Ask them to check if the payment was authorized but stuck somewhere in processing - sometimes there's a difference between approval and actual payment authorization. 4) If they can't resolve it immediately, request the fair hearing form right there - this often gets management involved quickly. Also, while you're dealing with this, try calling local churches or community centers - some have emergency hotel voucher programs separate from CalFresh. Your kids shouldn't spend another night in the car. Stay strong and keep advocating - you deserve better than this runaround.

Any update? This happened to me on 8/29/25. She said it would be on the card by 5pm and nothing… then they were closed and it’s a 3 day weekend. 😥

This is absolutely unacceptable - no family should be sleeping in their car while waiting for emergency assistance that was already approved! I work with families in similar situations and have seen this happen too many times. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1) Go to the office when they open and ask specifically for the "Emergency Services Supervisor" - not just your regular worker. 2) Bring all your paperwork and clearly state this is an "immediate homeless emergency with minor children" - these are trigger words that require specific response protocols. 3) Don't leave without either the money loaded on your card or a direct hotel voucher - they have the ability to do same-day emergency issuance. 4) If they give you any runaround, ask for the fair hearing request form right there - just asking for this often gets supervisors involved quickly. Also, while you're there, ask them to print out your case activity log to see exactly what was (or wasn't) processed from your original approval. In the meantime, call your county's Board of Supervisors office - they hate bad publicity about homeless children and can often cut through red tape fast. Stay strong and keep advocating - your children deserve better than this system failure.

I'm so sorry you and your kids are going through this nightmare. Three days sleeping in a car with children is absolutely unacceptable, especially when you were already approved! The advice about going back in person tomorrow is spot on - phone calls clearly aren't working. When you go, be prepared to be persistent and don't let them dismiss you. Document everything: take photos of any paperwork they give you, write down names of who you speak with, and note exact times. If they try to tell you to wait longer, remind them that children are involved and this is an emergency situation. Also, consider reaching out to local news stations - they often cover stories about families failed by the system, and sometimes that public pressure gets faster results than going through normal channels. You're being a strong advocate for your kids, don't give up! Update us when you can - this community is rooting for you. ❤️