California Disaster CalFresh application stuck on 'in process' for weeks - anyone received benefits yet?
Has anyone successfully received Disaster CalFresh benefits in the latest round? I submitted my application on February 21st after those terrible floods hit our area. My application status has been showing 'in process' for almost 3 weeks now with zero updates. I called the county office twice, but just got the runaround about 'high volume of applications' and to 'please be patient.' My savings are nearly gone and my family really needs these benefits. We're a household of 5 (me, husband, 3 kids) and lost about $600 worth of food when our power was out for 4 days. Has anyone's D-CalFresh application from February actually been approved and received benefits yet? What was your timeline like? I'm starting to worry mine got lost in the system or something...
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Chloe Zhang
same boat. applied 2/19 and still nothing. called twice, they just say its still pending. getting really frustrated
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Sophia Carter
•It's so frustrating! Have they at least given you any estimate for when we might hear something? The county worker I spoke with wouldn't even give me a ballpark timeframe.
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Brandon Parker
The disaster calfresh processing is ALWAYS slower than they promise!! In 2023 after the coastal storms, my application took 31 days (they promise 10 days lol). The county workers will NEVER admit how behind they are. But yeah your app isn't lost...they're just taking forever. Make sure you check your mail everyday because sometimes they send verification requests without calling you, and if you miss the deadline they'll deny you.
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Adriana Cohn
•Omg yes! They sent me a verification request that got lost in mail and I almost missed the deadline. The disaster CalFresh system is so broken.
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Jace Caspullo
I work as an eligibility specialist (not for disaster benefits specifically), but I can tell you that the February 2025 disaster declarations have created an unprecedented backlog for most counties. Disaster CalFresh applications are supposed to be processed within 7 calendar days, but processing times are currently averaging 18-25 days in most affected counties. Some things to know: 1. Your application is not lost if you can see it's "in process" online - it's in the queue 2. Disaster benefits are issued all at once (not monthly) as a one-time benefit 3. The income limits for D-CalFresh are higher than regular CalFresh, so don't worry if your income would normally be too high 4. If you had food losses AND disaster-related expenses, make sure both were included in your application as it affects benefit amounts I recommend calling your county office again but requesting a supervisor specifically, as they can look deeper into your case status. Ask directly: "Can you tell me where my application is in the processing queue and if any information is missing?
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Sophia Carter
•Thank you so much for this detailed information! I did include both our food losses and the hotel costs for the two nights we couldn't stay in our home. I'll try calling again tomorrow and specifically ask for a supervisor as you suggested. It's just been so frustrating to wait with no clear timeline.
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Melody Miles
I applied for D-CalFresh on 2/22 and just got approved yesterday (March 13). It took exactly 20 days from application to approval. I received $1,700 for my family of 4 which was a huge relief. The only thing I did differently was I went IN PERSON to the county office last week because I was tired of the phone runaround. The worker there was able to look up my case and told me it was just waiting for supervisor review. Maybe try going in person if you can?
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Sophia Carter
•That's so helpful to hear - congratulations on getting approved! I might try going in person too. Did you need an appointment or did you just walk in? And did they load the benefits onto your existing EBT card or send you a new one?
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Melody Miles
•I just walked in but had to wait about 2 hours. They loaded it onto my existing EBT card - I already had regular CalFresh. If you don't have an EBT card, they'll mail you one which adds a few more days to the process.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
i applied on 2/25 and got approved in 8 days!! maybe it depends on which county ur in? im in alameda
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Brandon Parker
•8 DAYS??!! That's crazy fast. I'm in Sonoma and everyone I know is waiting 3+ weeks. The county differences in processing time are ridiculous!
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•ya i was surprised too! but we had major damage to our apartment so maybe they prioritized based on severity?
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Eva St. Cyr
If you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office about your Disaster CalFresh application, you might want to try using Claimyr. I was in the same boat last month - stuck on hold forever or getting disconnected. Claimyr held my place in line and called me back when a real person was available. Saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 When I finally got through, I found out they needed one more verification document from me that hadn't been properly noted in the system. Got my D-CalFresh benefits 3 days after providing that document.
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Sophia Carter
•I've never heard of this service before! Does it actually work? I spent 2 hours on hold yesterday before having to hang up for a doctor's appointment.
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Eva St. Cyr
•It worked for me! I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for days to get through to Sacramento County. The service navigated all the phone tree options automatically and then called me when they had a real person on the line. The county worker I spoke with was able to see my application and tell me exactly what was holding it up.
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Adriana Cohn
Did anyone else have to provide extra verification stuff for their disaster calfresh? I applied on 2/18 and then got a letter a week later asking for proof of identity (again) and proof of disaster-related expenses. I sent everything in right away but it's still processing 2 weeks after that. This is so stressful.
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Jace Caspullo
•This is common with Disaster CalFresh applications. The verification requirements can be confusing because they're different from regular CalFresh. For disaster benefits, you generally need to verify: 1. Identity (for all household members) 2. Residency in the disaster area when it occurred 3. Proof of disaster-related expenses (if claiming them) The verification timeframe is usually 10 days from when they request it. If you sent everything promptly, I suggest calling to confirm they received your documents. Sometimes they're received but not properly indexed to your case, which can cause delays.
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Chloe Zhang
wait is disaster calfresh different from regular calfresh? i thought i was applying for regular benefits but now im confused
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Jace Caspullo
•Yes, they're different programs. Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh) is a temporary program activated only after a presidentially declared disaster. It provides a one-time benefit to households who wouldn't normally qualify for regular CalFresh. Regular CalFresh is the ongoing monthly nutrition program (formerly known as food stamps). If you applied after the disaster was declared and specifically mentioned disaster-related expenses or food loss, you likely applied for D-CalFresh. You can check which program you applied for by looking at your confirmation notice or by calling the county office.
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Sophia Carter
UPDATE: I finally got through to my county office and spoke with a supervisor. She said my application was approved yesterday but is waiting for benefit issuance which could take 2-3 more business days. She said they've been completely overwhelmed with D-CalFresh applications (over 15,000 in our county alone) and are bringing in workers from other departments to help process them all. For anyone still waiting - don't give up! Keep calling and specifically ask to speak with a supervisor or manager who can look up your actual status.
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Melody Miles
•That's great news! Glad you're getting your benefits soon. Did they tell you how much you qualified for?
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Sophia Carter
•Yes! We qualified for $2,100 for our family of 5, which will really help us get back on our feet. I'm so relieved.
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Javier Torres
This thread has been so helpful! I applied for D-CalFresh on 2/23 and have been stuck in "processing" status for 18 days now. Reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that it's not lost in the system. I'm definitely going to try calling and asking for a supervisor like Sophia suggested. It's frustrating that processing times vary so much by county - some people get approved in 8 days while others wait a month! Has anyone else noticed if certain counties are faster than others? I'm in San Bernardino County and wondering if I should expect a longer wait based on what I'm seeing here.
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