Does San Joaquin County use CalSAWS for CalFresh? And when do extra benefits load on EBT cards?
I moved from Alameda to San Joaquin county last month and I'm confused about their CalFresh system. My worker mentioned something about CalSAWS but I'm not sure if that's what San Joaquin uses? Also my benefit amount is supposed to increase this month (got approved for $380 more) but I'm not sure when they load the extra amount. Does anyone know if they only do it at midnight or do benefits get loaded throughout the day? I've been checking my EBT balance every hour since yesterday and still nothing. Getting kinda worried because I planned my grocery shopping around having those extra funds today. Thanks for any help!
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Aaron Lee
Yes, San Joaquin County uses CalSAWS now. All 58 counties in California have transitioned to this system as of 2023. As for when benefits load, the extra amount should follow your regular issuance schedule. CalFresh benefits are typically loaded onto EBT cards based on the last digit of your case number, between the 1st and 10th of each month. The system updates at night, so new benefits usually appear early morning, not throughout the day.
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Alexis Robinson
•Thank you! That helps about the system. For the loading time - my regular benefits already came through on the 4th (my case # ends in 4). This extra amount is from an appeal I won because they didn't count my childcare expenses correctly. The worker just said it would come "this week" but didn't give a specific date.
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Chloe Mitchell
i had this happen when i got retro benefits last yr. the extra amount came like 3 days after my regular bennies. they dont always load at the same time as ur monthly amount. give it til end of the week before u start worrying!!!
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Alexis Robinson
•That's a relief to hear! I'll try to be more patient. Just stressful because I'm down to ramen noodles and was counting on getting that grocery money today lol
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Michael Adams
The extra benefits or supplemental amounts don't follow the regular schedule, and they absolutely DO load throughout the day, not just at midnight. I've had benefits appear at 2pm, 4pm, even as late as 9pm. Each county processes these a bit differently, and San Joaquin can be particularly slow with supplemental benefits. The system usually updates 3-4 times during the day. Keep checking, but it might take 3-5 business days after approval.
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Alexis Robinson
•Oh! That's interesting - I'll keep checking then. Is there any way to call and find out exactly when it's scheduled to load? The automated line doesn't give that info.
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Natalie Wang
sorry to jump in but i think i can help with this. i've been on calfresh for 5 yrs in san joaquin. extra benefits come random times not just midnight. my worker told me theres no set schedule for backpay or adjustments like ur getting. it just depends on when they process the batch. and yes its defintly calSAWS here now. they switched from C4yourself like 2 yrs ago.
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Noah Torres
If you need to reach someone at San Joaquin County to ask about when exactly your additional benefits will load, I'd recommend using Claimyr. I had a similar situation with supplemental benefits and spent days trying to get through their phone system with no luck. Claimyr got me connected to a live person in under 20 minutes who could actually tell me the exact date my additional benefits would be issued. It was so much better than the automated system. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or go to claimyr.com. Definitely worth it when you need answers fast about benefit loading dates.
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Alexis Robinson
•Thanks, I might try that. I've been calling for two days and just keep getting the automated system that tells me my regular benefit amount but nothing about the supplement.
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Samantha Hall
DONT WASTE UR TIME CALLING!!! The county NEVER answers and when they do they just tell you to "wait" anyway. I waited 3 weeks for my extra benefits after winning an appeal. The system is broken and nobody there cares if ur eating ramen for another week!!! 😡
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Ryan Young
•This isn't entirely accurate. While San Joaquin County's CalFresh office does have long wait times, supplemental benefits are typically processed within 10 business days of approval. If you're approaching that timeframe, it's worth calling. The delay you experienced was likely during the CalSAWS transition period when many counties had significant backlogs. The system is much more stable now.
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Chloe Mitchell
hey did ur money ever come thru? been wondering what happened
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Alexis Robinson
•YES! It finally loaded this morning at like 3am. Just randomly checked when I got up for the bathroom and it was there. So I guess they do load at weird times! Thanks everyone for the help.
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