CalFresh benefits discontinued - will I still get the extra allotment payment?

sorry bt if ur benefits stopped u dont get the extra. its based on getting the regular calfrsh in that month. happened to me last yr

The "extra" allotment is only for active cases - if you got discontinued you won't get either payment. This happened to my sister when she forgot to submit her recertification last year. You might be able to get your benefits back without having to reapply if you submit your SAR7 within 30 days of the discontinuance date. Call your county worker ASAP!! The system is stupid though, even if they restore your benefits, you probably won't get the extra payment retroactively.

To clarify what others have said: The emergency allotment (the "extra") is an enhancement to your regular CalFresh benefits, not a separate benefit. When your case is discontinued, you lose both regular and emergency allotments. However, good news - you have what's called "restoration rights" if you submit the missing SAR7 within 30 days of discontinuance. Your benefits can be restored without a new application, and you'll receive prorated benefits for the current month from the date you submit the missing SAR7. I recommend submitting it online through BenefitsCal.com for faster processing.

this happened to me too!!! the county office is SO BAD at reminding people about the sar7!! like they should text u or something i mean it's 2025 for gods sake!! 🙄 anyways yeah u lose both payments and it SUCKS. i had to go to the food bank for 3 weeks til i got mine back

I work with CalFresh cases every day and want to add - when your case is discontinued for a missed SAR7, you lose all benefits including the emergency allotment. But what many people don't know is that if you call RIGHT AWAY, you may be able to get your worker to lift the discontinuance before the system actually cuts you off. Sometimes there's a few days processing window between when the notice goes out and when benefits actually stop. If that doesn't work, then yes, submit the SAR7 ASAP for restoration. Also, I've noticed that calling the county office directly is nearly impossible these days. If you're struggling to get through, try Claimyr.com - it's a service that waits on hold with the CalFresh office for you and calls you when a real person answers. I've had clients use it successfully to get through quicker. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

wht county r u in? some countys r better than others for getting benefits back fast

This is exactly what's wrong with the system!!! They make it IMPOSSIBLE to keep benefits with these stupid reporting requirements every 6 months AND recertification AND they don't even remind you properly! Then they take away food from people who are already struggling just because of paperwork!!! I bet they PURPOSELY make the SAR7 due dates confusing so people miss them and they can save money by not giving benefits. The whole system is designed to trip people up!!! 😡

UPDATE: I just submitted my SAR7 through BenefitsCal along with my paystubs and rent receipt. Then I tried calling the county office but couldn't get through after 45 minutes. Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked! Got connected with a worker who said they'll process my SAR7 as a restoration case within 3 business days, but they can't guarantee I'll get benefits before next week. They also confirmed I've completely lost this month's extra allotment since it only goes to active cases. Lesson learned - never miss a deadline!

Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - if you're in a similar situation and need food right away while waiting for benefits to be restored, check out CalFresh Healthy Living's food resource finder at cafreshhl.org. They have a map that shows all the food banks and pantries in your area, plus their hours and what documentation (if any) they require. Some don't require any proof of income or CalFresh status. Also, if you have kids, remember that they might be eligible for free meals at school even if your CalFresh got discontinued - school meal programs have different eligibility rules. Hope this helps someone!

Just went through this exact same thing last month! Lost both regular and emergency allotment when I missed my SAR7 by 3 days. The emergency allotment is tied to having active benefits that month, so no regular CalFresh = no extra payment either. But the good news is you can get restored pretty quickly if you act fast! I submitted my late SAR7 online and got my benefits back within a week. Pro tip: when you submit through BenefitsCal, there's a dropdown where you can select "Late SAR7 - Request Restoration" which helps flag it for faster processing. Also set up those text reminders right away so this doesn't happen again - I wish I had done that sooner!