CalFresh EBT card suddenly blocking cash withdrawals - ATM issues this month only

sounds like ur confusing calfresh with calworks. calfresh is just food benefits, u cant withdraw cash from it. calworks is the cash aid program

The previous commenter is correct - CalFresh (food stamps) benefits can't be withdrawn as cash. That's only for CalWORKs cash aid. Since you mentioned both programs, it sounds like your CalWORKs benefits might not have been deposited yet or there could be an issue with your eligibility this month. A few things to check: 1. Verify your benefit deposit date - sometimes they change the schedule 2. Call the EBT customer service number on the back of your card to check your balance 3. Check if you received any notices in the mail about changes to your benefits 4. Make sure you submitted your quarterly SAR7 report on time if it was due recently If your food benefits are working normally but cash isn't available, that strongly suggests an issue specific to your CalWORKs benefits.

this happened to me last year!! turned out my cash benefits got discontinued cuz i missed a mandatory employment appointment that i never even knew about!!! check your mail!!!

Just to add to what others are saying - if your CalWORKs benefits were discontinued but your CalFresh is still active, that would explain exactly what you're experiencing. The system treats them as separate benefits even though they're on the same card. You mentioned you "always" withdraw at midnight - which specific day of the month do your benefits normally arrive? Benefits are staggered throughout the month based on case numbers. If you usually get yours on the 1st but checked on a different date this month, that could also explain it.

Ughhh the EXACT same thing happened to me in January!! I spent TWO DAYS trying to get through to my caseworker to figure out what happened. Turns out I missed some stupid employment verification form they sent that I didn't even know was important. They reinstated my benefits eventually but I had to go THREE WEEKS without my cash aid while they "processed" everything. The system is designed to make us fail I swear.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the county office! Turns out they sent me an employment verification form last month that I needed to complete, but I never received it (or maybe I did and thought it was junk mail?). Because I didn't return it, they discontinued my CalWORKs but kept my CalFresh active. They're sending me a new form today, and I should be able to get my benefits reinstated once I submit it with my paystubs, but they said it might take up to 10 days to process. Not sure how I'm going to manage until then, but at least I know what happened now. Thanks everyone for your help figuring this out!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now. It's crazy how they expect us to know which mail is important when they send so many different notices! I'm learning to just open everything now. Hope your benefits get reinstated quickly - it's so stressful when this stuff happens.

u should ask them about retroactive benefits too. sometines they will give u the money u missed if it wasnt ur fault

This is such a common issue unfortunately! I went through something similar last year where I missed a form buried in all the other mail they send. One tip that's helped me - I started taking photos of all my important documents before submitting them, and I always ask for a receipt or confirmation number when I drop things off. The county offices can be really slow to process things, but having proof you submitted everything on time can help if there are any disputes later. Also, if you're really tight on cash while waiting for reinstatement, some local food banks and community organizations might be able to help bridge the gap. Good luck getting everything sorted out!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm new to both CalFresh and CalWORKs and honestly had no idea they were separate programs on the same card. Reading about everyone's experiences with missed forms and documentation is eye-opening - it sounds like the system really doesn't make it easy to stay on top of everything. I'm going to start opening ALL my mail from the county now, even if it looks like junk. Connor, I hope your benefits get sorted out quickly! It's really stressful when you're counting on that money and it just doesn't show up. Thanks to everyone sharing their tips about keeping copies and getting receipts - I'm definitely going to remember that for when I need to submit my next round of paperwork.

This is such a valuable thread for anyone dealing with benefit issues! I'm glad you figured out what happened, Connor. Your experience really highlights how important it is to carefully review ALL mail from the county - I know it can feel overwhelming when they send so many different notices, but missing even one form can have such big consequences. For anyone reading this who might be in a similar situation, I'd also suggest setting up a simple filing system at home for benefit-related paperwork. I use just two folders - one for "action needed" and one for "completed/filed" - and it's helped me stay more organized. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops, but sharing experiences like this really helps the community navigate the system better. Hope your reinstatement goes smoothly!