Has anyone with last name 'M' received their P-EBT benefits yet? Confused about disbursement timeline
I've been waiting for the new round of P-EBT benefits for my kids. Originally I was told by a CalFresh worker that they're distributing benefits alphabetically by last name and that our family (last name Martinez) should receive ours in June/July 2025. But yesterday, another parent at my daughter's school said her cousin who works for the county told her it won't be until September for 'M' families. That seems really late compared to what I've heard! Has anyone with last names starting with M received their P-EBT cards yet? I'm trying to budget for summer and really need to know when these benefits will actually arrive. The official website isn't very clear about the timeline.
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Dylan Fisher
The P-EBT benefits don't follow alphabetical order by last name - that's actually a common misconception. According to the most recent CDSS guidance, P-EBT 5.0 benefits are being issued based on the county you live in and your school district's processing timeline. Some counties began issuing in May, most will be completed by August, with a few extending into September. Your best bet is to check the BenefitsCal portal for the most accurate information about your specific case, or call your county office directly.
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Kelsey Hawkins
•Thank you for clarifying! I've been going crazy trying to figure this out. So the alphabetical distribution isn't true? Our district is in Los Angeles County - do you know their timeline specifically? I tried checking the BenefitsCal portal but it doesn't show anything about pending P-EBT.
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Edwards Hugo
my neighbor got hers last week and her last name starts with K so i think they r doing alphabetical but maybe not strictly in order? we have different last names but same school for our kids and mine hasnt come (starts with W). last time they did P-EBT it took forever for mine to arrive so im not surprised its confusing again
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Gianna Scott
•This isnt correct information. P-EBT is NOT distributed alphabetically by last name. It's distributed by county and school district, and the timing depends on when your school district submits the eligibility data to CDSS. Please don't spread misinformation, it just confuses people more.
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Edwards Hugo
•no need to be rude im just sharing what happened with me and my neighbor why else would she get hers first lol
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Alfredo Lugo
I called about this EXACT thing last week. My last name starts with M too (Mitchell). After waiting on hold for nearly 2 hours, the worker told me that P-EBT 5.0 for our county (I'm in Riverside) will be distributed July 15-August 20 regardless of last name. The worker explained that some counties are doing it in phases but it has nothing to do with alphabetical order - it's based on school district data submission timelines. If you need to speak with someone about your specific case, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it saved me from endless hold times. You schedule a call back from a county worker instead of waiting on hold. Helped me get accurate info about my P-EBT. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8
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Kelsey Hawkins
•Thank you for sharing this! I didn't know about Claimyr - I'll definitely check it out because waiting on hold is impossible with my work schedule. Did the worker tell you if there's any way to check status online? Or do we just have to wait for the benefits to show up?
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Alfredo Lugo
•Unfortunately there's no way to check the status online right now. The worker told me they're working on adding that feature to BenefitsCal, but for now we just have to wait. Glad the Claimyr tip was helpful!
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Sydney Torres
This is why I HATE dealing with benefit programs!!! Every person tells you something different and nobody actually knows what's going on. Last year I waited 4 MONTHS past when they said my P-EBT would arrive and when I finally got someone on the phone they said "oh your address was entered wrong" but I NEVER GOT ANY NOTIFICATION ABOUT THAT!!! Now I'm worried the same thing will happen again. Does anyone know if there's a way to verify your address is correct in their system for P-EBT specifically? It's correct for my regular CalFresh.
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Dylan Fisher
•If your address is correct in your CalFresh account, it should be correct for P-EBT as well, since they use the same database. However, P-EBT for school children can sometimes pull from school district records instead. To be safe, I'd recommend checking both your CalFresh account AND contacting your children's school to verify they have your current address on file.
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Sydney Torres
•THANK YOU!! I never thought about the school records. Will check with them tomorrow! At least SOMEONE on here gives useful advice instead of just saying "be patient" which is all I get from the county office.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
My friend Melissa got her P-EBT last week and she lives in Sacramento County. But my other friend Maria who lives in Alameda County hasn't gotten hers yet. I think it might depend on which county you live in more than your last name? But im not sure. Hope you get your benefits soon!
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Kelsey Hawkins
•That's helpful to know! Maybe it is by county then. I wonder if there's an official schedule posted somewhere that shows when each county is supposed to receive their benefits.
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Caleb Bell
Here's the ACTUAL facts, since there's a lot of confusion in this thread: 1. P-EBT 5.0 distribution is NOT alphabetical by last name 2. Benefits are being issued county-by-county based on when school districts submitted eligibility data 3. Most counties will complete distribution between June-August 2025 4. Some counties with processing delays may extend into September 5. You can verify your address is correct by calling the P-EBT Helpline at 877-328-9677 6. There is NO way to check your specific issuance date online currently The CDSS updates their P-EBT information page monthly with county-specific timelines. Last update showed LA County distributing from June 15-August 10, but your specific date depends on your school district.
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Kelsey Hawkins
•Thank you SO much for this detailed information! This is exactly what I needed. I'll call that helpline number to verify my address and check the CDSS website for updates. Really appreciate you taking the time to lay out all the facts.
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Caleb Bell
•Happy to help! Just one more tip - when you call that helpline number, try calling right when they open (8am) or during lunch hours (12-1pm). Those times usually have shorter wait times in my experience.
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Kai Santiago
I'm in LA County too and have been wondering about this same thing! My last name starts with N and I haven't received anything yet either. Based on what everyone is saying here, it sounds like the county timeline is more important than the alphabetical thing. I'm going to call that helpline number that Caleb mentioned to double-check my address is correct. Has anyone tried checking with their school district directly to see if they submitted the eligibility data yet? Maybe that would give us a better idea of timing.
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