How to increase my CalFresh EBT benefits for my growing family?
I just got approved for CalFresh last month but the amount seems super low - only $210 for myself and my two teenagers. My rent just went up to $1850 and with groceries costing so much these days, we're barely making it. I work part-time (25 hrs weekly) making about $2100 a month. Is there any way to get my benefits increased? I didn't mention my rent increased when I applied because it happened after I submitted everything. Do I have to wait until my SAR7 or can I report this change now? Any advice would be really appreciated!!
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Ravi Gupta
You should definitely report your rent increase to CalFresh right away! You don't have to wait for your SAR7. This is considered a change that could increase your benefits, so you can voluntarily report it anytime. Higher shelter costs often mean higher benefits because they use those expenses in the calculation. Call your county office and tell them you need to report a 'mid-period change that may increase benefits.' Also make sure they have all your utility costs recorded because those count too.
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StarStrider
•Thank you!! I'll call tomorrow. Do I need to bring in my new lease or something as proof? And should I mention my electric bill too? It's about $180/month now with the kids home more.
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Freya Pedersen
my benifits went up when i added my water and electric bills they didnt count them before!!!! try that first befor anything else. i got like $86 more with just that and didnt have to do much paperwork
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Omar Hassan
•This is actually really good advice. They use something called the standard utility allowance (SUA) which is like $487 in California for 2025. If they weren't counting your utilities before, adding this could definitely bump up your benefits!
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Chloe Anderson
Had the EXACT same problem!!! Called for DAYS trying to reach someone at my county office. Phone system is a NIGHTMARE - disconnected 3x after waiting 45+ minutes!! Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in less than 10 minutes. They have this demo video (https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8) that shows how it works. The worker updated my rent amount ($1750 to $2100) and added my utility costs right over the phone. My benefits went from $180 to $345 the very next month!! Worth every second not dealing with that awful hold system.
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Diego Vargas
•does it really work? i always get hung up on after waiting forever
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Chloe Anderson
•Yep, it really does! I was super skeptical too but it saved me from taking a day off work just to go to the office in person. They basically call on your behalf and then connect you once they get through.
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CosmicCruiser
Make sure you tell them EVERYTHING that might help. Do you pay child care? That's deductible. Medical expenses over $35/month for anyone elderly or disabled? That counts too. Child support payments? Those are deductible from your income. Also, if either of your teenagers work part-time, their income might be excluded if they're students. The county won't always ask about these things unless you bring them up!
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StarStrider
•Omg I DO pay child care for my younger one during summer break! It's like $600/month. I had no idea that counted. My oldest actually just got a weekend job too - does that affect things badly?
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CosmicCruiser
•If your oldest is under 18 and a student (attending school at least half-time), their income is EXEMPT! And that childcare expense will DEFINITELY help your benefits - make sure to report it with proof of payment. This could make a huge difference in your benefit amount.
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Anastasia Fedorov
have u tryed calworks to? its diffrent from calfresh but you can get both. they give cash aid for familys with kids if ur income is low enuff. worth checking out maybe
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Omar Hassan
•CalWORKs has a much lower income limit than CalFresh though. With $2100 monthly income for a family of 3, they might be over the CalWORKs limit (which is around $1,626 for a family of 3 in 2025). But definitely worth asking about when they call in!
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Freya Pedersen
i think if ur kids r teenagers they get more food $ now bcuz theres some new rule that teenagers eat more food? my nephew got more when he turned 14, ask about that 2!!
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Ravi Gupta
•This isn't quite accurate. CalFresh doesn't have specific teenager rates. The benefit amount is based on household size, income, and expenses, not the ages of the children. However, sometimes teenage children can get excluded from the household size calculation in certain circumstances which can help, but that's a different issue.
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StarStrider
Update! I finally got through to my caseworker after using that Claimyr service (which really did work surprisingly well). My benefits are going up to $372 next month! They counted my rent increase, added the utility allowance, and included my childcare expenses. They're also not counting my teenager's part-time job since she's still in high school. Thank you everyone for all your help!! This makes such a huge difference for us.
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CosmicCruiser
•That's fantastic! So glad it worked out. Just remember that you'll need to report these expenses again on your SAR7 when it comes (usually 6 months after approval) to keep the higher benefit amount.
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StarStrider
•Thanks for the reminder! I'll make sure to include everything on the SAR7. The worker said I should get it in the mail around August.
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Jamal Edwards
Congratulations on getting your benefits increased! Your story gives me hope - I'm in a similar situation with a family of 4 and only getting $298/month which barely covers two weeks of groceries. My rent just went up $300 and I had no idea I could report that mid-period. Going to try that Claimyr service tomorrow since calling directly has been impossible. Did you have to provide documentation right away for the rent increase or did they accept it over the phone initially?
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