CalFresh EBT not refilled for May - does it matter what day my case number ends with?

This isn't a dumb question at all! CalFresh benefits are issued on a staggered schedule based on the last digit of your case number. Since yours ends in 1, your benefits should be available on the 1st calendar day of each month. Today is only the 1st so they might appear later today. If they don't show up by tomorrow, there might be an issue worth checking on.

the payment sched is based on last # of ur case. mine is 7 so i get it on the 7th. ur a 1 so should be today!! give it til midnight somtimes the system is slow lol

Is this regular CalFresh or CalFresh expedited? Because those can have different schedules. Also, did you complete your application process fully? Sometimes they give you 1 month but require more verification for ongoing benefits. Check your BenefitsCal account or any letters they sent you to make sure there's not a verification due. Also make sure you didn't hit your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) which would affect benefits.

To clarify what everyone's saying: yes, benefits are loaded based on the last digit of your case number. If your case number ends in 1, benefits should be available on the 1st day of each month. However, sometimes there can be processing delays, especially for new cases. If your benefits don't appear by tomorrow (the 2nd), I'd recommend calling your county office. The EBT customer service line can only tell you if benefits were loaded, not why they might be missing. One thing to check - log into your BenefitsCal account and make sure your case status still shows as active and that you don't have any pending items requiring your attention.

I had this EXACT same issue when I first got CalFresh!! Turned out they loaded my FIRST month on like the 15th or something and then all the months after that were on my regular schedule day (mine is 6th). Maybe call and check if your regular schedule is different from when they issued your first payment?

If your benefits don't show up by tomorrow and you need to call your county office, be prepared for loooong wait times. I recently discovered this service called Claimyr that helped me get through when I had a similar issue last month. It holds your place in line and calls you back when a worker is available - saved me like 2 hours of hold time. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Definitely worth it for CalFresh issues when you actually need to talk to someone instead of dealing with the automated system.

One other thing to check - did your card work properly last month? Sometimes there can be issues with the EBT card itself rather than the benefit issuance. If you haven't already, make sure you've activated your card, set your PIN, and that the card hasn't been damaged. You can check your balance and transaction history by calling the number on the back of your EBT card or using the EBT mobile app. Also, as a technical note, benefits for the 1st of the month are sometimes available as early as 11pm on the last day of the previous month, but this varies by county.

did ur benefits show up yet??

Glad they showed up! Just FYI for the future, make sure you complete your SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) when they send it to you around the 5th month. A lot of people lose benefits because they forget to turn it in. And you'll need to do recertification at the 12-month mark. They should send you reminders but the system isn't perfect.

Malik, I'm so glad your benefits showed up! This is actually a really common concern for new CalFresh recipients. Just wanted to add one more tip - if you ever have questions about your benefit schedule or need to check when your next issuance is due, you can also text your EBT card number to 997-279 and get an instant balance and last transaction info. Super helpful when you're out shopping and want to double-check your available balance without calling the 1-800 number. Welcome to the CalFresh program!