CalFresh benefits missing on scheduled issuance date - approved in May but no EBT reload?

same thing happened 2 me last month! turned out they were missing some verification document they never told me they needed 🙄 have u checked ur messages in BenefitsCal? sometimes they put notices there but dont send them in mail

This sounds frustrating, but there could be a few things happening here. Since you're in your second month, they may be transitioning you from initial approval benefits to your regular ongoing amount. Check if you received a Notice of Action letter explaining your benefit amount - sometimes the second month can have timing issues. Also, keep in mind the 8th is when benefits are authorized, but sometimes it takes until late night or even early the next day to appear on your card. Have you checked your EBT account online to verify the exact balance and transaction history? That might show if anything was deposited and then removed for some reason.

hate to say it but ur gonna wait DAYS for them to call back. the whole system is mess. i waited 5 days once and nobody ever called!!! then had to start all over!!

I've worked with CalFresh for years, and there are a few common reasons this happens in the second month: 1. There might have been an unreported change that flagged your case for review 2. Sometimes the system requires manual authorization after the first month 3. There could have been a verification document due that wasn't received 4. The system occasionally has glitches during the transition from expedited to regular benefits The fastest solution is speaking directly with your eligibility worker. Instead of waiting for a callback, have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that helps you get through to a live CalFresh worker quickly instead of waiting days. I've recommended it to many clients at www.claimyr.com - there's even a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once you talk to a worker, they can tell you exactly what's happening and often fix it immediately if it's just a system issue.

I HATE THE CALFRESH PHONE SYSTEM!!! Been on it 4 years and it NEVER gets better!!! FOUR TIMES last year my benefits didn't load when they should and each time it was a different excuse - "system glitch" "pending verification" (they never asked for) "worker error" and my favorite "we don't know why"!!! And they expect us to wait 3+ days for a callback while our kids go HUNGRY?!? This is why people give up on the system!!

One more thing to check - did you receive and return your SAR7 form? Even though you just got approved in May, depending on your reporting cycle, they might have immediately sent you a Semi-Annual Report that was due. If that wasn't returned, your benefits could be delayed or suspended. Worth asking about when you reach a worker.

I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned when I had a similar issue last month. It actually worked - got me through to a person in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The worker told me my benefits were on hold because they needed my updated lease agreement (which nobody had told me). They released my benefits the same day after I uploaded it through BenefitsCal. Might be worth a try if you're desperate.

did u get a new job or something? they cut mine off when i didn't report my new job even tho i was still under the income limit

Just FYI - they SHOULD have sent you an actual NOTICE if your benefits were being held or stopped for ANY reason!! It's literally THE LAW that they have to notify you! So if you didn't get anything, that's on THEM, not you!

UPDATE: I used Claimyr and got through to someone in about 15 minutes! The worker checked my case and found that there was a system flag because this was my transition to regular ongoing benefits. Apparently my initial approval was under expedited processing, and there was supposed to be an automatic review before my second month. The worker was able to clear the flag and process my benefits - they should be on my card by tomorrow morning! She also noted my account so this doesn't happen again next month. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

That's such great news! I'm so relieved you got it resolved quickly. The transition from expedited to regular benefits seems to be a common issue that trips up the system but nobody warns new recipients about it. It's frustrating that you had to go through the stress of not knowing what was wrong, especially with kids to feed. Definitely keeping Claimyr bookmarked for future reference - seems like it's a real lifesaver when the regular phone system fails us. Hope your benefits load smoothly from now on!

This is exactly why I love this community - everyone jumps in to help when someone's struggling! @Chloe Taylor I'm so happy you got your benefits sorted out. The expedited-to-regular transition issue seems to happen more often than it should, and you're right that they really should warn people about potential delays during that switch. For anyone else reading this who might face similar issues, it sounds like Claimyr is definitely worth trying when the regular phone system isn't working. It's ridiculous that we have to use third-party services to get basic help, but if it gets people the assistance they need faster, I'm all for it. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - posts like this are so valuable for other families who might hit the same roadblock!