CalFresh EBT suddenly discontinued in Northern California - can't reach anyone by phone!

omg this happens ALL THE TIME with calfresh!! happened to me last summer, turned out they sent some form to my old address even tho id updated my info. check ur mail from last month, might be something u missed

This sounds like a classic case of either a lost SAR7 or misplaced verification documents. If you sent in your SAR7 early, it's possible it got separated from your case file or wasn't properly recorded in the system. The good news is that if you can prove you submitted it (please tell me you kept a receipt or confirmation?), they can reinstate your benefits without a new application process. First thing tomorrow morning, call the main CalFresh office for Humboldt County at (877) 410-8809 - don't use the EBT card number, it won't get you to case workers. Be prepared to wait on hold for possibly hours. Ask specifically about the status of your SAR7 and what verification documents they're missing.

I'm in Siskiyou County and something similar happened to me in January. The problem is getting through to a human - I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at my county office. Every time I called, I'd wait on hold for an hour+ only to get disconnected. Super frustrating! I finally used Claimyr.com which got me connected to a caseworker in about 20 minutes. They basically call for you and wait on hold, then connect you when a human picks up. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 In my case, it turned out they needed a pay stub verification that I had already submitted twice! The worker found it in their system after I gave them the date I submitted it. Benefits were restored within 48 hours.

This happens wayyyy too often with CalFresh. The system is broken!!! I had my benefits cut off THREE TIMES last year because of "paperwork issues" that were THEIR FAULT not mine. One time they claimed they never received my electric bill verification even though I uploaded it to BenefitsCal AND mailed a copy!!! The whole system is designed to kick people off so they can save money. 😡😡😡 The county workers don't care if you starve. They just want to close as many cases as possible. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Take screenshots, get receipts, record phone calls (California is a two-party consent state so tell them you're recording). It's the only way to protect yourself from their incompetence!!

I'm a volunteer CalFresh application assistant, and I can clear up a few things: 1. For a sudden discontinuance like this, there are typically three possibilities: - Missing SAR7 (most common) - Failed income verification (second most common) - System error (happens more than they admit) 2. If you submitted your SAR7 on March 18th with proof (receipt), you have strong grounds for immediate reinstatement. Request an appeal immediately - you only have 90 days from the notice date. 3. For Humboldt County specifically, their systems had an update in late March that caused several documentation processing delays. Your SAR7 might be sitting in a backlog. 4. Good news: If this is resolved as county error, they must provide retroactive benefits for any months you missed. Save all grocery receipts in the meantime. Call (877) 410-8809 and specifically request a "Case Discontinuance Review" with your worker. Mention you have proof of SAR7 submission. If they can't help immediately, file for a State Hearing by calling 1-800-952-5253.

wait do u use BenefitsCal? sometimes u can see notices there that never came in the mail. mite say exactly what they needed

With that information, you're in a much better position to resolve this quickly! Here's what you should do first thing tomorrow: 1. Call the Humboldt County number with your case number and BenefitsCal notice reference ready 2. Explain you just discovered the notice about the rent verification in your BenefitsCal account but never received it by mail or email alert 3. Ask if you can submit your rent receipt immediately through BenefitsCal or by fax/email to expedite processing 4. Request conditional benefit reinstatement pending verification 5. If they agree to reinstate with verification, ask specifically when benefits will be available on your EBT card In most counties, if you can provide the missing verification quickly, they can restore benefits within 2-3 business days. Also ask them to update your contact preferences to include text or email alerts for future notices.

my sisters calfresh got cut off and it was bcuz she didnt report her new job within 10 days...did u start any new work or get a raise maybe?

I'm so sorry this is happening to you! I'm new to this community but have been dealing with CalFresh issues for a while now. Since you found that missing rent verification notice in your BenefitsCal account, you're actually in a really good position to get this resolved quickly. One thing I learned the hard way - always screenshot those BenefitsCal notices as soon as you see them because sometimes they disappear from the system. Also, when you call tomorrow, if the first person you talk to can't help or seems dismissive, politely ask to speak with a supervisor. Sometimes the front-line workers don't have the authority to reinstate benefits immediately but supervisors do. Also wanted to mention - if you're really worried about food this week, most food banks don't require any paperwork or proof of need. The Food Bank of the Redwoods has locations throughout Humboldt County and they're really helpful. You can find their locations and hours online. It's not a permanent solution but it can help bridge the gap while you get your benefits restored. Hang in there - it sounds like this should be fixable once you provide that rent receipt!

This is exactly why I always tell people to check their BenefitsCal account weekly, even if you're not expecting anything! The notification system is absolutely broken - I've missed so many important notices because they never send emails or texts, just quietly post them online. For future reference, you can also set up your own reminder to check the portal every Friday or something. I put it in my phone calendar after missing a crucial verification request last year. Also, when you call tomorrow with that rent receipt ready, ask them to make a note in your file about the notification failure. It won't help you right now, but if it happens again you'll have documentation that this is an ongoing system issue. Some counties are finally starting to acknowledge these problems and making policy changes, but only when people document the failures. Good luck getting this resolved! Sounds like you have all the right info now to get your benefits restored quickly.