Confused about P-EBT eligibility for my toddler born in 2021 - separate card from CalFresh?

The P-EBT program has different phases and eligibility requirements. For children born in 2021, they would potentially qualify for P-EBT 4.0 if your household was receiving CalFresh benefits during the eligible period (which was generally the 2022-2023 school year). Children under 6 can qualify even if they're not in school, but they need to have been in a CalFresh household during the qualifying months. And yes, P-EBT benefits come on a completely separate card from your regular EBT card. If your child is eligible, you should have received a P-EBT card in the mail specifically in his name. These cards are usually blue, unlike the regular yellow/gold EBT cards.

I went thru this wth my daughter!! the P-EBT is separte from ur regular ebt and they mail it to u. but the PROBLEM is they are SUPER slow with sending them out. my neighbor got hers like 8 months ago and I just got my daughters last month!!! same age kids too so it makes NO sense. check ur mail carefully cuz it doesnt look like important mail, just a plain envelope.

The P-EBT rollout has been extremely complicated and frustrating for many families. For children born in December 2021 like your son, here's what you need to know: 1. Children under 6 in CalFresh households qualify for P-EBT 4.0 if your household received CalFresh benefits during any month from August 2022 through July 2023. 2. P-EBT is ALWAYS issued on a separate card, never combined with regular CalFresh EBT. 3. P-EBT cards are issued in the child's name, not the parent's name. 4. The current phase of issuance for young children in CalFresh households began in October 2024 and is continuing in waves through early 2025. 5. There is no need to apply - if your child is eligible, a card will be sent automatically based on CalFresh records. If you believe your child should have received a card by now, I recommend contacting the P-EBT Helpline at 877-328-9677. Be prepared for long wait times though - it's notoriously difficult to get through.

I was in the exact same situation trying to reach someone about my kids' P-EBT cards for weeks! After getting disconnected multiple times, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually get through to a real person at the P-EBT office. They basically hold your place in line and call you back when a representative is about to answer. Saved me literally hours of waiting on hold. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I got through, the rep confirmed my kids' cards were in the system and gave me an estimated mailing date. Much better than wondering if they'd ever come!

My daughter got her PEBT last month she's 4. It came in a white envelope that looked like junk mail almost threw it away lol. Check your mail carefully!!

wait im confused are we talking about the pandemic ebt or is there a new program? i thought p-ebt ended after covid?? my kids r school age and we still get regular calfresh but nothing called p-ebt lately

Thanks everyone for all your helpful responses! I checked and we definitely haven't received any P-EBT card yet. I'm going to try calling again, and if I can't get through, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. It's frustrating because that could be several hundred dollars in food benefits we could really use right now. I'll update this post if I manage to get any answers from the P-EBT helpline!

I'm so annoyed with the whole P-EBT system. It's been a complete mess from the beginning. My neighbor's kids got their cards months ago, but my kids who definitely qualify haven't seen anything! And when you call, you can never get through to a real person. Then they have the nerve to put expiration dates on the benefits! How is that fair when they're so inconsistent with sending the cards out? The whole thing is ridiculous.