EBT P-EBT card received with 'J-414' code in Clovis - when is next K-12 reload?

my kid got his card yesterday too but ours says K-215?? different school district tho (fresno unified

The letters and numbers on P-EBT cards are just batch identifiers - they help the state track which cards were sent in which mailing groups. They don't affect your benefits or reload dates. According to the latest information, the next K-12 P-EBT reload should happen in late February 2025 for the winter quarter benefits. The exact date varies by the last digit of the card number (not the batch code). Remember that P-EBT is different from regular CalFresh benefits. If your family is struggling with food costs, you might want to check if you qualify for regular CalFresh benefits too, which come monthly rather than quarterly.

I HATE how they roll these benefits out!!! My daughter's card came 3 weeks after her friend's who goes to the SAME SCHOOL. And then when I called the number on the back it just kept saying "due to high call volume" and hanging up on me. This whole system is designed to make us give up, I swear!!!!

You can check the P-EBT balance online at www.ebt.ca.gov or through the ConnectEBT app instead of calling. Much easier than dealing with the phone system. For the reload question - the next scheduled benefit is in February 2025, but the exact day depends on the last digit of your card number (not the batch code). Cards ending in 0-3 usually get loaded first, then 4-6, then 7-9. Also, good to know that P-EBT benefits now roll over for a full year before expiring, so you don't have to rush to use them if you don't need to immediately.

If you're struggling with getting through on the P-EBT hotline, I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's this service that holds your place in the phone queue and calls you when an actual person is on the line. Saved me hours of frustration! Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or their site at claimyr.com. I used it last month when my son's card wasn't working and actually got through to a human being who fixed the issue!

my sister works for the school district and she said the february reload might be delayed bc of some verification thing the state has to do with attendance records?? anyone hear about this?

Somewhat related but I tried to use my kids P-EBT card at Target last week and the cashier looked at me like I was trying to commit fraud! Had to explain what P-EBT was and she still seemed suspicious. Anyone else have issues using these cards at certain stores?? It was so embarrassing my teenager refuses to go shopping with me now.

Quick tip: Make sure you activate the card as soon as you get it, even if you don't plan to use it right away. There have been cases where unactivated cards were flagged as potentially lost/stolen after sitting dormant for too long. You can activate by calling the number on the back of the card or online at www.ebt.ca.gov. Also, if your 7th grader was eligible for free/reduced lunch during the 2023-2024 school year but you're just now receiving the card, you might be getting a retroactive payment for past months. Those typically come as a lump sum on the first load.