Getting contradicting info about P-EBT 3.0 cards for my kids - CalFresh worker says they don't exist?
Is anyone else getting completely different answers every time they call about their kids' P-EBT cards? I've called 3 times this month and the CalFresh workers keep contradicting each other! First call, they told me my children's cards were already mailed out in November. Then another worker said my kids' cards "don't exist" in the system at all. Today, someone told me P-EBT 3.0 cards won't even be issued until December 2025 because "the program hasn't been established yet for school-age children" (whatever that means). The most frustrating part was the last worker who said my children don't qualify because they "don't fall into the three eligibility categories" but wouldn't explain what these categories are! I thought ALL kids who get free/reduced lunch qualified automatically? My kids have been on the school meal program for 2 years. Anyone know what's actually happening with P-EBT 3.0 distribution? Getting desperate since I was counting on this extra food assistance for the holidays.
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Katherine Shultz
The P-EBT 3.0 rollout has been incredibly confusing, but let me clarify what I know. The cards ARE being distributed, but in phases based on eligibility categories. The three categories they might be referring to are: 1) children under 6 in CalFresh households, 2) school-aged children who receive free/reduced lunch, and 3) children in SNAP-eligible childcare settings. If your kids are in the free/reduced lunch program, they should qualify under category 2. The December date is partially correct - some counties are scheduled for later distribution, but not because the "program hasn't been established." That's incorrect information. I recommend calling the dedicated P-EBT hotline at 877-328-9677 rather than regular CalFresh workers, as they often have outdated information about P-EBT since it's technically a separate program run jointly by DSS and Education dept.
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Alberto Souchard
•Thank you!! I didn't even know there was a separate P-EBT hotline! I've been calling the regular CalFresh number and getting nowhere. Will try the P-EBT specific number tomorrow. Really appreciate the info about the categories too - my kids definitely fall under category 2 then. So frustrating getting different answers from every worker.
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Marcus Marsh
OMG the same exact thing happened 2 me!!! first thye said cards were coming in oct, then nov, now saying december?? so sick of calling and getting nowhere. one lady told me my kids wernt in the system but i KNOW they get free lunch at school!! whole thing is a mess
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Alberto Souchard
•So I'm not the only one! Did they also tell you about some mysterious "three categories"? I'm still so confused about that part. Did you end up getting any clearer answers?
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Hailey O'Leary
I worked through similar issues with the P-EBT 2.0 last year. What helped me was getting through to a Tier 2 specialist who could actually see the status in their system. The frontline workers often don't have complete information. After spending WEEKS trying to get through the regular phone lines, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to a live CalFresh worker in about 15 minutes. They basically wait on hold for you and call you once they reach a real person. Saved me hours of frustration. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a demo video that explains it better than I can: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I got to a Tier 2 specialist, they confirmed my kids' status and gave me accurate information about when to expect the cards. The regular workers were giving me completely wrong information before that.
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Cedric Chung
•Is this service legit? Seems sketchy to have someone else calling welfare offices for you. Do they need all your personal info?
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Talia Klein
this whole p-ebt thing is such a mess!! i was told my kids cards were coming in october, then november, now who knows. the worst part is my kids ARE on free lunch at school so they should definitely qualify. one worker told me "system is being upgraded" another said "cards are delayed" and another said my kids weren't in the database at all!!! how can they all say different things?? i'm so done with calling them honestly
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Katherine Shultz
•The system is fragmented because P-EBT operates between two departments (DSS and Education). The school verifies your child's free lunch eligibility, then sends that data to DSS who issues the cards. Often the disconnect happens in that data transfer. Sometimes cards get delayed because your address in the school system doesn't match what's in the state database. Double-check that your current address is updated with both your child's school and any CalFresh/benefits accounts you have.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
I work for a community organization that helps families navigate these benefits, and I can confirm there's been a lot of confusion with P-EBT 3.0 rollout. Here's the correct information: 1. P-EBT 3.0 IS established and approved for 2025 2. Distribution started in October 2025 but is happening in phases by county and eligibility category 3. The three eligibility categories are exactly as another commenter mentioned (under 6 in CalFresh households, school-aged with free/reduced lunch, and children in SNAP-eligible childcare) 4. Some counties won't receive cards until December or even January 2026 5. Many county workers ARE giving incorrect information because P-EBT is technically administered jointly by DSS and CDE, not just the CalFresh department Your best resources are: - P-EBT specific hotline: 877-328-9677 - The official P-EBT portal: ca.p-ebt.org (check status there) - Your school district's nutrition services department (they can confirm if your children's eligibility was submitted) Don't give up! The benefits are retroactive once you receive the cards.
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Alberto Souchard
•Thank you so much for this detailed information! I checked the ca.p-ebt.org site and it shows my kids as eligible but "cards not yet issued" - at least that confirms they're in the system! I'll contact our school nutrition services tomorrow to make sure they submitted everything correctly. It's so frustrating when the actual workers give completely wrong information.
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Marcus Marsh
their so behind on evrything. my friends kids got their cards last month but we still waiting. makes no sense!!
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PaulineW
Does anyone know if children who became eligible for free lunch mid-year qualify for the full P-EBT amount? My kids started receiving free lunch in January 2025, but weren't eligible in the fall semester. When I called, one worker said they'd get benefits from January onward, but another said they needed to be eligible the entire school year. Anyone have experience with this situation?
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•Children who became eligible mid-year DO qualify, but only receive benefits from the month they became eligible. So in your case, your children would receive P-EBT benefits from January 2025 onward, not for the full school year. The second worker was incorrect - there's no requirement to be eligible the entire year. The benefits are calculated monthly, so they'll receive the appropriate amount for the months they were eligible.
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Cedric Chung
The whole program is a scam to make us dependent on government handouts. They deliberately make it confusing so people give up applying. My sister works in a school and says half the cards never even reach families because they get lost in the mail or sent to old addresses. They should just increase regular CalFresh benefits instead of creating these complicated new programs every year that barely work.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•P-EBT was actually created as an emergency program during COVID to ensure children who normally received meals at school could still access food when schools were closed. It's since been extended to help address ongoing food insecurity. The program has actually been quite successful overall, distributing over $2.2 billion in food assistance to California children in previous phases. The implementation certainly has room for improvement, but the program itself has helped millions of families put food on the table. For families who don't qualify for regular CalFresh (due to income limits), P-EBT is often their only food assistance option.
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Alberto Souchard
Update: I finally got through to someone helpful! Called the P-EBT specific number (877-328-9677) that was suggested here and after waiting about 45 minutes, I spoke with someone who actually knew what they were talking about. She confirmed my kids ARE in the system and eligible. The cards for our county are being mailed out next week! The three categories thing was just about how they're prioritizing card distribution. She also said to make sure our address is updated in both the school system AND on the ca.p-ebt.org portal. For anyone else dealing with this confusion, definitely use the P-EBT specific number instead of the regular CalFresh line. The regular CalFresh workers don't seem to have accurate info about P-EBT at all!
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Katherine Shultz
•Great news! I'm so glad you got accurate information. This is exactly why I suggested the dedicated P-EBT line - they have direct access to the P-EBT database and actual training on the program. Regular CalFresh workers are only trained on SNAP/CalFresh benefits and often give incorrect information about P-EBT. Make sure to activate the cards as soon as you receive them. The benefits don't expire for at least a year, so you can use them gradually if needed.
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