Missing Golden State Advantage card for child's CalFresh benefits - what now?

The Summer EBT program (they don't officially call it Sunbucks btw - that must be local slang) is running behind this year. My nephew's card took almost 5 weeks to arrive. I'd recommend calling your county CalFresh office directly rather than the EBT customer service line. Ask specifically for the "Summer EBT coordinator" - each county has designated staff handling these cases. You don't need to reapply, but you should request a card replacement if it's been over 30 days since your approval notice.

this happened 2 me 2!! been waiting for my daughters card since aprll!! the whole system is messed up nobody knows whats going on

I work for a community organization that assists with CalFresh applications. The Summer EBT cards are indeed running behind schedule this year due to the program's expansion. Here's what you need to know: 1. Benefits ARE retroactive to the month of approval, so you won't lose any money. 2. The official name is "Summer EBT" or "Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer" - not Sunbucks, though I've heard that nickname in some areas. 3. Call your county office and request a "Summer EBT card replacement" specifically. 4. You'll need to provide your child's name, date of birth, school, and proof of your identity. The cards should be arriving within 5-7 business days after a replacement request is processed. No need to reapply - your eligibility is already established through the school meals program.

Trying to get through to the CalFresh office is IMPOSSIBLE these days!! I spent 3 hours on hold last week trying to fix my regular CalFresh benefits and ended up getting disconnected twice. So frustrating!!

my kids got theres without any problem but my neice didnt get hers eather. something up with the summer ebt cards for sure

Are you sure your child qualified? Not all kids who get free lunch automatically get the Summer EBT. They have to be enrolled in schools that participate in NSLP or SBP and meet the income requirements. My daughter didn't qualify even though she gets reduced-price lunch because our income is slightly over the threshold. Just something to double-check!

One more thing to check - make sure your address is correct in the county system. I've seen cases where the card was sent to an old address because the school records and county CalFresh records had different information. When you call, ask them to verify your mailing address as well.

Just a quick update for everyone in this thread - the California DSS released a statement yesterday acknowledging delays with the Summer EBT card distribution. They're prioritizing replacements for families who were approved in April and May. When calling, mention reference code "SE-DELAY-2025" which they're using to flag these cases. This should help streamline the replacement process.