Do kids age 0-6 need existing EBT to qualify for P-EBT 2025? So confused!

Your neighbor is partially right. For the current P-EBT issuance in 2025, children 0-6 generally need to have been part of a CalFresh household during the benefit period to automatically qualify. The P-EBT program was created to replace school meals during pandemic disruptions, but it's evolved since then. Young kids who were on CalFresh get it because they're assumed to have missed meals at daycare/preschool programs. However, applying for CalFresh now is still a GREAT idea regardless! It won't make your kids retroactively eligible for past P-EBT, but: 1) It will help with your current food costs 2) It could make them eligible for future P-EBT if the program continues 3) Your 7-year-old might qualify through school if they attend a CEP or free meal school I recommend applying through BenefitsCal.com today. With your recent income drop, you have a good chance of qualifying!

thats not 100% right. my kids got P-EBT last year and we werent on calfresh. it was bcuz their school had that community eligibility thing where all kids get free lunch. u should check if ur 7yr old's school has that. the little ones im not sure about tho

im confused too...got P-EBT for my toddler last time but nothing this time around and nothings changed with our calfresh. anyone know whats going on??

I've been dealing with this exact issue trying to help my sister figure out her kids' eligibility. After spending HOURS on hold with the county CalFresh office, I finally got through to someone who could help. P-EBT rules are super complicated and they change with each issuance. Here's what I learned after multiple failed attempts to reach a human being: try Claimyr.com - it's this service that calls CalFresh for you and gets a worker on the line. Then they call you when they reach someone. Saved me from the endless hold music! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The worker I finally reached confirmed that for kids 0-6, they needed to be on an active CalFresh case during specific months to get this round of P-EBT. But they're constantly changing the rules, so applying now could help for future distributions.

I work for a community nonprofit that helps people with benefits, and this P-EBT confusion is something we hear EVERY DAY. The program has gone through multiple phases with different rules each time. For 2025 specifically: - Children 0-6 must have been on an active CalFresh case during qualifying months - School-age children must either attend a CEP/Provision school OR be individually eligible for free/reduced meals - The benefit amount varies based on school operation status in your district And yes, you should absolutely apply for CalFresh now! With 3 children and reduced income, you'll likely qualify for a substantial monthly benefit. The income limit for a household of 4 in 2025 is approximately $3,750 gross monthly income. The application can be completed online in about 30 minutes.

Just to clarify some misinformation I'm seeing: P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) was specifically created for COVID-related school closures. What we're seeing in 2025 is actually the Summer EBT program, which is similar but has different eligibility rules. This is why the requirements seem to have changed. For Summer EBT 2025: 1. School-aged children must be eligible for free/reduced meals through NSLP 2. Children 0-6 must be in households receiving SNAP/CalFresh benefits The distinction between P-EBT and Summer EBT is causing a lot of confusion because the benefits look similar on the same type of card.

As someone who's been through the whole P-EBT saga since it started, I can tell you the program has evolved A LOT. Initially it was just for school closures during COVID, then they expanded to summer programs, then to children too young for school but on CalFresh. For your specific situation - with your income drop, you should definitely apply for CalFresh right away. While it won't help with past P-EBT issuances, it could qualify your younger children for future distributions. And more importantly, you'll get ongoing monthly food benefits which are probably much more substantial than the occasional P-EBT payments. The application process is pretty quick now through BenefitsCal. With your situation, they'll likely expedite your case since you had a significant income change.

I think there's also confusion because states implement P-EBT differently. California's implementation might not match what other states are doing or what federal guidelines suggest. The P-EBT and Summer EBT programs have similar goals but different funding sources and rules. If you're applying for CalFresh now (which you definitely should with your reduced income), make sure you gather these documents to speed up your application: - ID for yourself - Birth certificates or ID for your children - Proof of income reduction (final paystub, termination letter) - Rent/mortgage info and utility bills With that documentation ready, you could potentially get benefits within 7-10 days under expedited services.

this whole thing is SO FRUSTERATING!!! why do they make it so hard and confusing??!! i got a p-ebt card for my daughter last year no problem and now nothing and when i call the number its just robots talking!!