Are P-EBT benefits still being issued in California for 2025?
So confused about P-EBT these days! My neighbor just mentioned she got some kind of P-EBT deposit last week for her kids, but I thought that program ended years ago after the pandemic? My children are on CalFresh (family of 4, been receiving since 2023) and I haven't seen any extra P-EBT funds on our EBT card this year. Did they bring it back? Are they still sending out P-EBT cards/benefits in California for 2025? I don't want to miss out if we qualify for additional food assistance!
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Chris Elmeda
Your neighbor is probably confused about what benefit she received. The pandemic P-EBT program officially ended and the last major issuance was back in 2022/early 2023. California is NOT currently issuing P-EBT benefits in 2025. What your neighbor might have received is: 1. Regular CalFresh benefits 2. A retroactive payment from an old case review 3. The School Meals Program supplement (which is different from P-EBT) The School Meals Program provides food benefits during school breaks for eligible kids, but it works differently than P-EBT did. If your children are already on CalFresh, you're already getting the maximum food assistance you qualify for based on your household income and size.
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Annabel Kimball
•Thank you for clarifying! Maybe that's what she meant - something about summer meal benefits? I'll ask her for more details. Kinda disappointing though, those extra P-EBT funds were really helpful during the pandemic.
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Jean Claude
my kids got somethin last month but it wasnt pebt it was that summer ebt thing they started. check ur mail maybe u missed the letter? not same as the old covid one tho
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Annabel Kimball
•Oh! That might be what she was talking about then. I'll double check our mail. We moved apartments in February so I'm wondering if I missed something important. Thanks for the heads up!
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Charity Cohan
The regular P-EBT COVID program is definitely over, but they DID create a permanent Summer EBT program starting in 2024. It provides about $120 per eligible child for summer months to help with food costs when school is out. It's not automatically added to your EBT card though - you have to get approved and might receive a separate card. Each state administers it differently. Call your county CalFresh office to check if your kids are eligible and if you missed any notifications. I've been trying to reach someone at my county office for THREE DAYS with no luck - just endless holds and disconnections.
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Josef Tearle
•I had the same problem trying to get through to my worker about a completely different CalFresh issue. One of my friends told me about a service called Claimyr that gets you through to a real person at the county without waiting on hold. I was skeptical but it actually worked - claimyr.com - there's a video that shows how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to update my address after moving.
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Shelby Bauman
ppl keep confusin all these programs lol. p-ebt was the covid thing. summer ebt is new. school meals is diffrent. calfresh is the main food stamps. if ur kids get free school lunch u might get the summer one automatically but CALL TO CHECK!!!!
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Annabel Kimball
•You're right, it is confusing! My kids do get free lunch at school, so maybe we do qualify for that summer program. I'll definitely call to check.
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Quinn Herbert
There's a lot of confusion in this thread, so let me clarify the current programs in California for 2025: 1. P-EBT (Pandemic EBT): This was a temporary COVID relief program that has officially ended. 2. Summer EBT: This is a NEW permanent program that provides food benefits to eligible children during summer break. It's about $120 per child for the summer months. 3. CalFresh: The ongoing food assistance program (California's SNAP/food stamps). 4. School Meals Program: Provides free/reduced meals during school year. If your children receive free/reduced school meals or you're on CalFresh, your children likely qualify for Summer EBT. But you need to ensure your address is current with the county, as they may have sent a separate card or notification. The timing of Summer EBT distribution varies by county. Some counties started sending benefits in May to prepare for summer, which might explain what your neighbor received.
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Charity Cohan
•This is so helpful, thank you! The counties really need to communicate these programs better. I was told three different things by three different workers about Summer EBT eligibility requirements.
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Salim Nasir
Does anyone know if we'll get notified automatically about Summer EBT if we qualify? I've been on CalFresh for years and never heard anything about this program. My kids get free lunch at school too. Do I need to submit a separate application or will it just show up like P-EBT did during COVID?
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Quinn Herbert
•Based on the guidelines, if your children already receive free/reduced school meals or your family receives CalFresh, you should be automatically enrolled in Summer EBT. However, they need your correct mailing address because unlike P-EBT during COVID, some counties are issuing separate cards rather than adding the funds to your existing EBT card. If you've moved recently, I'd definitely contact your county office to update your address.
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Annabel Kimball
Update: I called my county office (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned - saved me SO much time!) and it turns out we ARE eligible for Summer EBT! But they had my old address on file, so they're resending the cards. The worker explained it's $120 per child for the summer and is totally separate from our regular CalFresh benefits. Thank you everyone for your help! For anyone else confused about this - it's NOT P-EBT, it's a new permanent program called Summer EBT that started in 2024.
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Shelby Bauman
•nice! glad u got it figured out. they rly need to explain these programs better smh
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Yara Khalil
So glad you got this sorted out! This whole thread has been super educational for me too. I had no idea about the Summer EBT program - I'm also on CalFresh with two kids who get free lunch and I never received anything. Sounds like I need to check my address on file too. Quick question for anyone who knows - is there a deadline to claim Summer EBT benefits once they're issued? Like do the cards expire if you don't use them right away? Don't want to miss out if there's a time limit!
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Chris King
•Good question about the expiration! From what I understand, Summer EBT benefits typically have a pretty generous expiration window - usually several months to a year from when they're issued, similar to regular CalFresh benefits. But I'd definitely call your county office to confirm the exact timeframe for your area since it can vary. Also, when you call to check your address, ask them to verify if you're already enrolled or if you need to do anything else to get the Summer EBT benefits. Some counties are still catching up on getting these cards out to eligible families.
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Luca Greco
Just wanted to add my experience - I'm also on CalFresh with 3 kids who get free lunch, and I received the Summer EBT cards about 2 weeks ago. Each child got their own card with $120 loaded on it. The cards came in separate envelopes from the county, not through the regular CalFresh system. The confusing part is they look similar to regular EBT cards but have different numbers and work at the same stores. I almost threw the first envelope away thinking it was junk mail because it wasn't clearly labeled as food benefits! So definitely check all your mail carefully if you think you might be missing them. The cards themselves don't expire for 12 months from issue date according to the paperwork that came with them.
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Aiden O'Connor
•Thank you for sharing your experience! That's really helpful to know about the separate cards and envelopes. I'm definitely going to go through my mail more carefully now - I probably would have made the same mistake and thrown it away thinking it was junk mail. It's frustrating that they don't make it more obvious what these mailings are for. Good to know about the 12-month expiration too. I'm going to call my county office tomorrow to check my address and see if I should have received anything yet.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
This thread has been so helpful! I'm a single mom with 2 kids on CalFresh and had no idea about Summer EBT. My kids definitely qualify for free lunch at school but I haven't received any cards or notices yet. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I need to check if the county has my current address - I moved back in January and I'm not sure if I updated it with all the right departments. It sounds like a lot of people are in the same boat. Does anyone know if there's a specific department within the county office I should call for Summer EBT questions, or do I just call the regular CalFresh line? Don't want to get transferred around for hours!
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Hannah Flores
•Hey Natasha! I'd start with the regular CalFresh line since Summer EBT is administered through the same county offices. When you call, just tell them upfront that you need to 1) update your address and 2) check on Summer EBT eligibility/status for your kids. That way they can handle both things at once or transfer you to the right person right away. I've found that being super specific about what you need when you first get connected helps avoid multiple transfers. And definitely mention that you moved in January - that's probably why you haven't gotten anything yet. The worker I spoke to said address updates can take a while to sync between different benefit programs, so it's worth double-checking even if you think you already updated it somewhere else.
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Aisha Khan
I just want to say how grateful I am for this whole discussion! I'm also a CalFresh recipient with kids who get free lunch, and I had absolutely no idea about Summer EBT. Like so many others here, I thought all the pandemic food programs were completely over. It's really frustrating that the county offices don't do a better job communicating about these programs - I feel like there are probably tons of eligible families who are missing out just because they don't know it exists. I'm definitely going to call tomorrow to check my address and see about getting enrolled. Has anyone found any official websites or resources that explain all these different food assistance programs clearly? It would be nice to have everything laid out in one place so we don't have to piece together information from different sources.
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Dyllan Nantx
•I totally agree about the communication issues! I've been on CalFresh for over a year and this is the first I'm hearing about Summer EBT too. For official resources, I found that the California Department of Social Services website has some information, but it's buried pretty deep. Your county's website might have more specific details too, though honestly calling seems to be the most reliable way to get current info. I'm also planning to ask my kids' school counselor - they might know more about which families in our area have been getting the Summer EBT cards and can point us in the right direction. It's sad that we have to work so hard to find out about programs we're already eligible for!
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Theodore Nelson
This whole thread has been a lifesaver! I'm a new CalFresh recipient (just started getting benefits in March) with twin 7-year-olds who get free breakfast and lunch at school. I had no clue about Summer EBT either - honestly thought all the extra pandemic food help was long gone. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like I definitely need to call and make sure they have my correct info. Quick question though - for those who received the Summer EBT cards, did they come all at once or separately? With twins, I want to make sure I'm watching for two cards if that's how they send them out. Also really appreciate the tip about that Claimyr service - I've been dreading having to sit on hold for hours but sounds like that might actually save me some time and frustration!
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Alice Coleman
•Hey Theodore! From what I've seen in my experience and reading other people's posts, the Summer EBT cards usually come separately - so yes, with twins you'd likely get two separate cards in two separate envelopes. That's actually how Luca described it earlier in this thread - each child gets their own card with $120 on it. Definitely keep an eye out for multiple mailings! And you're right about Claimyr - I was skeptical at first too but it really does work. Since you're a newer CalFresh recipient, make sure when you call that they have all your current information on file. Sometimes there can be delays in getting Summer EBT set up for people who enrolled in CalFresh more recently. Good luck getting it sorted out!
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Liam Sullivan
As someone who works with families navigating benefits, I want to emphasize a few key points from this great discussion: 1. **Summer EBT is PERMANENT** - This isn't a temporary COVID program, it's here to stay! California will continue offering this every summer. 2. **Address updates are CRITICAL** - Even if you updated your address for CalFresh, you may need to update it separately for Summer EBT with your county office. 3. **Timing varies by county** - Some counties started sending cards in late spring, others are still processing. Don't panic if you haven't received yours yet. 4. **Look for plain envelopes** - As others mentioned, these don't always look like official benefit mail and can easily be mistaken for junk mail. For anyone still waiting: Call your county CalFresh office, verify your address, and ask specifically about "Summer EBT" or "Summer Food Benefits." If your kids get free/reduced school meals OR you're on CalFresh, you should be automatically eligible. The program provides $120 per eligible child for summer food costs - it's worth the phone call to make sure you don't miss out!
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Nia Jackson
•Thank you so much for this clear summary, Liam! This is exactly the kind of comprehensive information that should be more widely available. I'm bookmarking this thread because it's honestly more helpful than anything I've found on official websites. It's reassuring to know that Summer EBT is permanent and not just another temporary program that'll disappear. I really appreciate you emphasizing the address update point too - I think that's probably the biggest issue for a lot of families who are missing out. The fact that it might need to be updated separately from regular CalFresh is something I never would have thought of. Definitely calling tomorrow to make sure everything is current on my end!
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Zara Malik
This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm a working parent with 3 kids who get free lunch, and I've been on CalFresh for about 6 months now. Like so many others here, I had absolutely no idea about Summer EBT - I honestly thought all the extra food programs ended with COVID. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I probably missed notifications because we moved twice in the past year and I may not have updated our address with every department. It's frustrating that these programs aren't communicated better - how many eligible families are missing out just because they don't know these benefits exist? I'm definitely calling tomorrow to check our address and Summer EBT status. The tip about each child getting their own $120 card in separate plain envelopes is super helpful - I probably would have thrown those away thinking they were junk mail too! Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and making this so much clearer. This community is honestly more helpful than any official resource I've found. Fingers crossed we can still get enrolled for this summer!
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Katherine Ziminski
•Zara, your situation sounds so similar to mine! I'm also a working parent who moved recently and completely missed these Summer EBT notifications. It's really eye-opening to see how many of us are in the same boat - eligible families who just never heard about this program. The communication gap is honestly pretty shocking when you think about how much help this could provide to families who really need it. I'm planning to call first thing tomorrow too, and I'm going to ask them to walk through ALL the food assistance programs we might be eligible for, not just Summer EBT. After reading this thread, I'm wondering what other programs exist that we just don't know about. The fact that this is a permanent program starting in 2024 gives me hope that maybe they'll get better at outreach over time. Good luck with your call tomorrow - hopefully we can both get this sorted out! And you're absolutely right about this community being more helpful than official resources. I've learned more from this discussion than from hours of trying to navigate government websites.
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