Just received P-EBT cards for my three kids in San Bernardino County - what should I do next?

Those are Pandemic EBT cards, which are different from regular CalFresh. P-EBT is specifically for children who would have received free or reduced-price school meals. Your 5-year-old kindergartener would definitely qualify, and your 3-year-old might if they're enrolled in a qualifying preschool program. It's unusual for an 11-month-old to receive P-EBT though - might be a system error, but I'd still activate it. You'll need to create a PIN for each card separately. The letter that came with the cards should have instructions, but usually you call the number on the back of each card. Each card will have a different PIN and different balance. Keep all three cards separate - don't discard any of them!

my kids got these too last week!!!!!! i have 2 in elementary school here in victorville also. i was confused at first but i just called the # on back and made pins for both. the automated system told me how much was on each one when i activated them. one had $490 and one had $455 which was nice surprise lol

P-EBT and CalFresh are completely separate programs. P-EBT is specifically for school meals, and this is likely a retroactive payment for the previous school year or summer period. It's managed at the state level, not county, which is why it might seem disconnected from your regular benefits. For the 11-month-old, there was a provision that allowed children under school age to receive benefits in certain circumstances, but it's also possible it's an error in their system. Either way, you should: 1. Activate all cards by calling the number on the back 2. Create a unique PIN for each card 3. Keep all three cards even after spending the balance 4. Use the benefits within 274 days of issuance or they'll expire The current P-EBT issuance is generally a one-time payment for past periods, not ongoing monthly benefits. The amount varies based on school attendance, COVID impacts, and other factors.

@profile7 This is a common misconception. P-EBT cards work exactly the same as regular EBT cards at any store that accepts EBT. They can be used at grocery stores, supermarkets, farmers markets, and even Amazon and Walmart online in most areas. The funds are treated exactly like regular CalFresh benefits in terms of where you can use them and what you can buy (food items only, no hot prepared foods, alcohol, etc.).

I had the same problem trying to activate my kids' P-EBT cards! Kept getting disconnected or stuck on hold forever. I discovered this service called Claimyr that got me through to a human in minutes instead of hours. I used it at claimyr.com and they called the P-EBT line for me, waited on hold, then called me once they had someone on the line. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Way better than wasting all day trying to get through. I was able to activate all my kids' cards and even ask questions about the balances in one call.

anyone else notice the p-ebt cards look difrent from regular ebt cards? my kids cards are white with a yellow stripe but my calfresh card is the blue and white golden state advantage one. got confused when they came in mail bc i thought maybe they were changing all cards lol

Just to clarify about the 11-month-old receiving a P-EBT card - there was a provision in the 2025 P-EBT extension that allowed benefits for children under 6 in CalFresh households in certain counties heavily impacted by school closures, regardless of school enrollment. San Bernardino County was one of these areas. That's likely why your baby received a card. The current issuance is for the summer 2025 period, and benefits should be spent within 274 days. They won't expire immediately, but don't wait too long to use them either. And yes, keep the physical cards even after spending the balance - if there are any supplemental payments, they'll be loaded onto the same cards.

You can check the balance on each P-EBT card in several ways: 1. Call the number on the back of each card and follow the automated prompts for balance inquiry 2. Visit the ConnectEBT website (connectebt.com) and register each card separately 3. Download the ConnectEBT mobile app (available for iPhone and Android) 4. Check your receipt after making a purchase The easiest ongoing method is probably the app once you've set everything up. Just remember that each P-EBT card needs to be registered individually, and the balances are separate from your regular CalFresh EBT account.