CalFresh extra food benefits missing for June 2025 - did anyone else not get theirs?

Glad I'm not the only one! I called the EBT hotline but they just have that automated message saying to contact your county office. So frustrating.

What?! I never got ANY letter about this! How are families supposed to manage with this kind of surprise cut? My budget is already stretched to the limit with rent increases.

I got that letter but thought it was just more junk mail and didn't open it until last week. Bad timing since my car just broke down and I was counting on that extra food money too.

Thank you for this advice. I do pay a lot for childcare that I never reported because I didn't know it mattered. Do I need to wait until my recertification or can I report these expenses now?

You can report those expenses anytime! Submit verification of your childcare expenses to your county office and request a benefit recalculation. This should be done through your online account on BenefitsCal or by speaking directly with your caseworker. Many people see significant benefit increases when they properly document all eligible expenses.

I'm sorry, but that information isn't accurate. The supplemental benefit was always intended to be temporary, and there are currently no plans to reinstate it under the new budget. It's important not to spread information that might give people false hope. The best approach is to make sure you're receiving the maximum regular benefit you're entitled to by reporting all qualifying expenses.

Try using Claimyr! I was having the exact same problem last month when my benefits got cut without explanation. Spent days trying to reach someone with no luck. Then I used this service called Claimyr - they wait on hold with the county for you and call you back when they get a real person. Saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

That's good to know! My electricity bill is insane in the summer with the air conditioning. I never thought to submit that. Is there a specific form I need to fill out?

You can report utility expenses on your SAR7 or during recertification, but you can also submit verification of these expenses anytime through BenefitsCal or directly to your county office. Make sure to keep copies of all documents you submit. For utilities, you can qualify for the standard utility allowance (SUA) which is often better than itemizing individual utilities unless your costs are exceptionally high.

for real!! so true. my friend had to submit her pay stubs like 5 times last year cuz they kept saying they never got them even tho she uploaded them online with confirmation numbers and everything

That's great news! So glad you were able to get some of the benefit back through proper expense reporting. This is exactly why it's so important to report ALL qualifying expenses. For anyone else reading this thread, remember that even things like child support payments and certain educational expenses can count as deductions for CalFresh calculations.