CalFresh Emergency Allotment missing since October despite numerous calls - county helpline keeps giving me runaround

First, I understand your frustration completely. Emergency Allotments actually ended in February 2023, so I'm concerned about why they'd be telling you you're eligible for them in October 2025. There's definitely some miscommunication happening. The county office is the correct place to resolve this, not the EBT card customer service line. What might be happening is one of these issues: 1. There could be a supplement/adjustment payment that was approved but not processed correctly 2. You might have been approved for expedited benefits that didn't get issued 3. There might be confusion about what type of additional benefits you're eligible for Ask to speak with a supervisor when you finally get through. Specifically request an "eligibility determination review" and ask them to check for any approved but unissued benefits in the system. Don't let them transfer you back to the EBT card line - that's just for lost/stolen cards and PIN issues.

this is y i alwasy go in person now, phone calls r useless. last yr they lost all my docs TWICE and i almost got cut off. bring all ur paperwork and dont leave till u talk to someone who can acually help. Thats wht worked 4 me eventually

It sounds like there might be confusion about what benefits you're eligible for. Emergency Allotments were a temporary pandemic benefit that ended in early 2023, so if someone told you you're eligible for those specifically in October 2025, that's incorrect information. However, there are other supplemental payments that could apply to your situation: 1. Retroactive benefits if your application was delayed 2. Underpayment adjustments if your benefit amount was calculated incorrectly 3. Expedited services benefits if you qualified for those I recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual eligibility worker faster. They call the county line for you and connect you when a human answers, saving you hours of waiting on hold. You can see a demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. It's what I used when I had a similar issue with missing benefits last year.

The SAME EXACT THING happened to me back in December!! I was promised some kind of extra payment and it never showed up. When I called they said I needed to upload additional verification documents, but no one had ever told me that! After I submitted them, it still took 3 more weeks to get the money. The system is broken and they don't care about people actually being able to feed their families. 😡😡😡

have u checked benefitscal.com? sometimes u can see notices there that never got mailed. also check if they need any verifications from u that maybe u missed. my worker told me that sometimes they need additional proof of income or expenses and if u dont provide it they just deny the extra benefits without actually telling u why

Just stopping by to say I feel your pain. The system is a mess right now. My cousin works for the county (not CalFresh tho) and she says they're super understaffed and some workers are handling double or triple the normal caseloads. Doesn't excuse the runaround, but might explain why no one seems to know what's going on with your case.

This is exactly why I always get the name and ID number of every person I speak with at the county. I make them repeat it and I write it down. That way when they inevitably don't follow through on what they promised, I can reference exactly who told me what and when. For your situation, I recommend: 1. Go back in person, but arrive early (before they open if possible) 2. Bring a written timeline of everyone you've spoken with and when 3. Ask specifically for an "eligibility determination review meeting" - using those exact words 4. Explain that you've been misinformed about Emergency Allotments (which ended in 2023) and want to know what supplemental benefits you were actually approved for in October 5. If they try to send you away, politely but firmly ask to speak with a supervisor The squeaky wheel gets the grease in these situations. Don't raise your voice or get angry, but be persistent and don't leave without answers.

maybe try calling ur local assemblymembers office? my friend did that when her medi-cal got messed up and they fixed it in like 2 days after she was struggling for months

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone helpful! After trying again this morning (another 45min wait), I spoke with a worker named Melissa who actually took the time to look into my case properly. Turns out there WAS an approved supplemental payment from October, but it was coded incorrectly in their system as an "EA" (emergency allotment) when those no longer exist. It was actually an underpayment adjustment because they had calculated my rent wrong during my August recertification. She's processing it now and said I should see the $235 on my EBT card within 3-5 business days. She also gave me her direct extension to call if it doesn't show up. Thanks everyone for your advice and support through this frustrating process!