Random $10 deposit on EBT card - did CalFresh add some kind of bonus?
I just checked my CalFresh EBT balance and noticed an extra $10 was deposited yesterday. It's separate from my regular monthly benefit (which I got on the 10th as usual). Has anyone else gotten this random $10? I didn't get any notices about it and I'm wondering if this is some new program or if it's a mistake. Should I spend it or will they take it back? I get $325 normally for just me, so this isn't a huge amount but still confused where it came from.
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Ravi Choudhury
Yeah I got that too!!! My regular deposit came on time but then yesterday there was just an extra $10 sitting there. I thought maybe it was cuz I reported my rent went up last month but that seems too small for that. Nobody sent me anything about why.
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Isabella Silva
AuthorOh good, so I'm not the only one! Did you call to ask about it? I don't want to spend it if they're going to say it's an error and I need to pay it back.
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CosmosCaptain
This could be related to the new 2025 CalFresh Supplemental Nutrition Program they started rolling out this month. It's a small quarterly addition that's being tested in certain counties before potentially expanding statewide. The first payment is $10, but future payments might increase based on household size and income. Check your BenefitsCal account for notifications - sometimes they update your online portal before sending paper notices.
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Isabella Silva
AuthorThank you! I'll check my BenefitsCal account. I usually just use the EBT app to check my balance so I might have missed a notification.
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Freya Johansen
Dont trust it!!!! This happened to my cousin and it was actually them testing her account and she spent it and they hit her with an overpayment notice 2 months later!!!! The county is always trying to trick people i swear.
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CosmosCaptain
That's not accurate. CalFresh doesn't conduct "tests" by adding funds to accounts. Overpayment notices are related to actual eligibility or reporting issues, not small random deposits. If you receive funds on your EBT, they're either your entitled benefits or occasionally an adjustment/supplement related to a program change.
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Omar Fawzi
I got the $10 too but actually received a text notification about it (make sure your contact info is updated in BenefitsCal). It's part of the Nutritional Enhancement Pilot that started this month in 12 counties. If you're in Alameda, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Riverside, Contra Costa, San Francisco, or Kern, you're part of the pilot. It's a quarterly supplement that's supposed to help with price increases for specific nutritional items like fresh produce. It's perfectly legitimate to use - this is an official program, not an error.
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Isabella Silva
AuthorThank you so much for the details! I am in San Diego County so that makes sense. I need to update my phone number in the system because I didn't get any notification.
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Chloe Wilson
my sister got $20 not $10 but shes got 2 kids on her case so maybe thats why?
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Omar Fawzi
Yes, the amount varies based on household size. $10 for individuals, $15 for 2-person households, and $20 for 3+ person households in this first distribution. Future quarterly payments may be adjusted based on program funding.
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Diego Mendoza
I haven't received anything extra yet, but I'm in Yolo County. Maybe they're rolling it out gradually? Has anyone in smaller counties gotten this $10 supplement yet?
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Anastasia Romanov
I'm in Humboldt and no extra $10 here. Called the EBT customer service and they had no idea what I was talking about when I asked about it. Typical. When I try to reach my actual case worker about ANYTHING it's basically impossible. Endless hold times or they say they'll call back but never do. So frustrating.
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Freya Johansen
If you need to reach your CalFresh worker about this or any other issue, you might want to try Claimyr. I used it last month when I couldn't get through about my recertification issue and they got me connected to a real person in like 10 minutes when I had been trying for days. Just go to claimyr.com - they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Saved me so much stress when I was about to lose my benefits.
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Anastasia Romanov
Thanks for the tip. Is it legit? I'm always skeptical of third-party services for government benefits.
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Freya Johansen
Yeah it's legit. It just helps you get through the phone system faster. You still talk directly to your county worker, they just handle the waiting and calling back part. My cousin works for a housing nonprofit and they recommend it to clients too.
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Isabella Silva
UPDATE: I checked my BenefitsCal account and there was actually a notification from 2 weeks ago about the "Quarterly Nutritional Supplement" program! Guess I need to check my messages more often. Thanks everyone for the help! It's nice to know I can actually spend the $10 without worrying.
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Chloe Wilson
lol i never check my benefitscal messages either... always forgetting my password anyway 😂
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Ravi Choudhury
So this is gonna happen every 3 months then? Extra money for healthy food? That's actually pretty cool. My kids might actually eat a vegetable if I can afford the good stuff lol
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CosmosCaptain
According to the program guidelines, yes - it should be quarterly through at least the end of 2025, at which point they'll evaluate whether to continue or expand it. And while they encourage using it for nutritional foods, it's not specifically restricted - it's just added to your regular CalFresh balance and can be used for any SNAP-eligible purchases.
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Sofia Martinez
This is really helpful information! I'm in Riverside County and got the $10 too but had no idea what it was for. I was actually worried it might be some kind of error. It's reassuring to know this is an official pilot program. Does anyone know if there's a way to sign up for text notifications specifically? I tend to miss the BenefitsCal portal messages but would definitely want to know about future quarterly payments.
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