Missing extra CalFresh allotment that was deposited on the 25th last month - is this normal?
I received an extra deposit of CalFresh benefits on the 25th last month (about $175 more than my regular amount). My regular benefits always come on the 10th. This extra amount helped SO much with my kids' groceries, but I'm checking my EBT balance today and don't see anything extra deposited yet. Was that a one-time thing or are we supposed to keep getting that additional amount? Did anyone else get their extra benefits this month? I'm trying to budget for next week and need to know if I should expect that money or not. The county never explains these things clearly!
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Omar Fawaz
The extra allotment was likely a temporary supplement or adjustment, not a permanent increase. California sometimes issues these one-time adjustments for various reasons - could have been a cost-of-living adjustment, error correction, or temporary program enhancement. These aren't typically recurring unless specifically stated in a notice. Did you receive any letters explaining the extra amount?
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Freya Pedersen
•I never got any letter explaining it! This is so frustrating. They just deposit random amounts and expect us to figure it out ourselves. How am I supposed to budget when I don't know what I'm getting????
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Chloe Anderson
I got mine on the 25th last month too! But nothing this month yet either. Tho my worker did say something about it being from that lawsuit they settled. Maybe it was just a one time thing?
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Diego Vargas
•yeah i think it was a one-time payment. my cousin works at the county and she mentioned something about back-benefits from that class action thing. don't think its coming again this month sorry
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Anastasia Fedorov
The extra benefits were probably the retroactive payments from the Papayas v. California CDSS settlement!!!! The state was forced to pay additional CalFresh to make up for UNDERPAYMENTS from 2019-2024. I got $214 but my neighbor only got $87 so it varied by household. DEFINITELY one-time only, DON'T count on it again!!!
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StarStrider
•This is mostly accurate. The state issued one-time supplemental payments following the settlement of Paniagua v. CDSS (not Papayas). These were retroactive corrections for households that were underpaid between January 2020 and December 2024. The amounts varied based on your specific situation and how long you've been receiving benefits. These were one-time payments and will not continue monthly.
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Sean Doyle
I had the same thing happen but I needed to contact my worker to find out what it was for. Took me FOREVER to get through on the phone line - kept getting disconnected after waiting for like an hour!! So annoying when you just need a simple answer.
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Zara Rashid
•If you're having trouble getting through to your CalFresh worker, you might want to try Claimyr. It's a service that calls the county for you and holds your place in line, then calls you back when a real person answers. I was skeptical but used it last month when my benefits were delayed and it saved me hours of waiting. Their demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 shows how it works. I wish I'd known about it sooner since I used to waste entire mornings on hold with the county!
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Diego Vargas
my benefits always change without warning too. one month i get $324 then next month $289 then back up to $319. calfresh is so confusing honestly, i just check my card balance now and dont try to predict it anymore
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StarStrider
•If your benefit amounts are fluctuating that much without explanation, you should request a breakdown of your benefit calculation from your county worker. Benefits shouldn't change monthly unless your income or household expenses are changing. You can request this information through your BenefitsCal account or by calling your county office.
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Chloe Anderson
My sister said we're getting another emergency allotment next month tho!! Her friend at the welfare office told her!
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Omar Fawaz
•I'm afraid that information is incorrect. The emergency allotments that were issued during COVID ended in early 2023. There are currently no plans to restart emergency allotments in California for 2025. The payment referenced by the original poster was almost certainly the retroactive settlement payment, which was a one-time adjustment.
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Freya Pedersen
Thanks everyone for the explanations. I get so frustrated with how the county communicates (or doesn't) about our benefits. At least now I know not to count on that extra money again. I guess I'll have to adjust my grocery budget for the kids accordingly. Ugh, prices keep going up but benefits stay the same.
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