CalFresh P-EBT SunBucks card not loading for my 3 kids until the 31st - Fresno County delay?

This is actually normal with the new 2025 P-EBT SunBucks program. Letters S through Z in Fresno County are scheduled for the last activation wave on the 31st. They're staggering the benefit loads to avoid system crashes that happened with previous rollouts. Your neighbor probably has a last name starting with A-K which was in the first wave. It's frustrating but the automated message confirming the 31st means your cards are valid and will work - just not until that date.

same thing happend to me but im in Kings county. got the sunbucks cards for my kids but cant use them yet. the letters dont explain anything!!! so frustrating when u need the groceris now not when they decide to turn them on

I work at a community resource center in Fresno and we've had several families come in with this exact situation. The P-EBT SunBucks program is being rolled out in batches based on the first letter of the guardian's last name. Here's the schedule they provided us: A-K: Already active L-R: Activates on the 24th S-Z: Activates on the 31st If you need emergency food assistance while waiting, please call 2-1-1 to connect with local food banks that can help. The P-EBT SunBucks cards will automatically activate on the 31st - you don't need to do anything except wait. Each eligible child should receive approximately $1,500 for the full benefit period.

My sister had teh same problem and she couldnt get thru to anyone at the county to ask why. She finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it got her connected to a real person at Fresno County in like 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They told her exactly when her kids cards would activate. They have a video showing how it works here https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 I think its worth it if you need answers about your specific situation.

To answer the questions above: Yes, the full benefit amount will be available on the activation date. The P-EBT SunBucks program is different from regular CalFresh - it's a one-time deposit covering the school year, not monthly deposits. And yes, you can use them at farmers markets that accept EBT, including the Market Match program which doubles your benefits for fresh produce (up to $10 per visit).

u know wat bugs me, my friends kids go to the same school as mine but she got her cards working already. makes no sense to me why they do it by last name and not by school or somthing that makes more sense???

Just to add some clarification - the SunBucks P-EBT cards are different from regular CalFresh EBT. These are specifically for families with school-aged children who qualify for free/reduced lunch. The staggered release by last name is actually pretty standard for large benefit programs. While it's frustrating to wait, the good news is that everyone approved will get the same amount regardless of when their card activates. Also worth noting that these funds don't expire for a full year, so no rush to spend them all at once.

@sketchylooking - It's totally legitimate. My sister used it and got through right away. She said it was worth it because she had been trying for days to get answers. It's not ideal to pay for something that should be free, but when you're desperate for information about benefits your family needs, sometimes you have to make that choice. The county phone lines are just completely overwhelmed right now with the SunBucks rollout.

@confused_mom Yes, the P-EBT SunBucks cards are completely separate from regular CalFresh benefits. You can absolutely use both! They're different programs with different funding sources. Think of the P-EBT as extra food benefits specifically for your school-aged children. The regular CalFresh is for the whole household's food needs. Neither one affects the other's benefit amounts.

I'm in Fresno County too and just got my P-EBT SunBucks cards yesterday for my two kids. Same situation - the automated system said benefits won't load until the 31st. My last name starts with T so that matches what others are saying about the S-Z batch. It's really frustrating because my kids are asking why their friends can use their cards already but we have to wait. I understand they're trying to prevent system crashes but they really should have explained the staggered rollout better in the letters they sent. At least now I know it's normal and not a problem with our specific cards. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Welcome to the community @Giovanni Martello! I'm glad you found this thread helpful. I'm also relatively new to Fresno County and had the exact same panic when my kids' cards wouldn't work right away. It's really frustrating how they don't explain the staggered rollout clearly in the materials they send. I've learned so much from this community about navigating all these different programs. If you haven't already, I'd recommend calling 2-1-1 like @Genevieve Cavalier mentioned if you need any food assistance while waiting for the 31st. They connected me with a local food pantry that really helped us get through until our cards activate. Also, once your cards do work, definitely look into that Market Match program she mentioned for farmers markets - sounds like a great way to stretch the benefits further for fresh produce!