CalFresh EBT card not working on benefit issue date - Sep 5th payment problem

same thing happened to me last month, sometimes they say one date but it actually loads at like midnight or even the next day. check again tomorrow

There are a few reasons this could be happening. First, make sure you activated your EBT card by calling the number on the back. Second, even though your letter says benefits are available on the 5th, the actual deposit time can vary throughout the day - sometimes not until late evening. Third, if this is your first month of benefits, there can occasionally be a 24-hour processing delay between activation and fund availability. If you've activated your card and it's still not working by tomorrow morning, you should definitely call your county office. They can verify if there's a technical issue or if there was a last-minute verification problem that's holding up your benefits.

check if you got ur PIN right!!! I got so MAD one time because my card wasnt working and I went home hungry and turns out i was using my old PIN from my previous card!! so embarassing lol. also sometimes the benefits load based on the last digit of ur case # so might not be exactly on the 5th

Benefits are usually deposited based on the last digit of your case number, not necessarily on the exact date mentioned in your approval letter. Here's the current California CalFresh issuance schedule for 2025: - Case numbers ending in 1, 2, 3: Benefits available on the 1st - Case numbers ending in 4, 5, 6: Benefits available on the 2nd - Case numbers ending in 7, 8, 9: Benefits available on the 3rd - Case numbers ending in 0: Benefits available on the 4th However, for new cases, the first month is often different. Did you receive a separate notice about your first benefit issuance specifically? Sometimes the first month follows a different schedule, especially if you were approved mid-month.

When I first got my CalFresh I waited all day and nothing, then at like 11:30 pm the money showed up! It was so weird. Give it until tomorrow before you worry too much. Also did you check your balance with the app or by calling the EBT number? Sometimes the app is slow to update.

I've been dealing with CalFresh for 3 years and I STILL have problems reaching anyone when there's an issue with my benefits. Last time I had a payment problem, I spent 4 hours on hold before getting disconnected. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when a worker is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 If your benefits don't show up by tomorrow, might be worth using instead of waiting on hold forever. The county offices are seriously understaffed this year.

also make sure ur actually at a store that accepts ebt!! not all grocery stores do and some only accept it for certain items. my first time i tried using it at this small market and they didnt take ebt at all and i was so confused

UPDATE: I just wanted to follow up because I noticed there was a system-wide delay reported for CalFresh benefits deposited on September 5th due to a processing error. Several counties were affected. Benefits should be loaded by midnight tonight according to the CalFresh status page. Here's the direct number for the California EBT Customer Service if you need to check your balance again: 1-877-328-9677. You can also check status updates at www.ebt.ca.gov.