Still no P-EBT 4.0 card in Tulare County - anyone else waiting?
Has anyone in Tulare County received their P-EBT 4.0 card yet? I've been checking my mailbox every day for the past 3 weeks and nothing. My neighbor got hers last week and we applied around the same time. Called the P-EBT hotline twice but got disconnected both times after waiting 45+ minutes. My kids qualified for free lunch all last year so we should definitely be eligible. Starting to get worried since I'm counting on those funds for groceries this month... anyone else still waiting or know when Tulare County is supposed to complete the rollout? Is there a way to check application status online?
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NebulaKnight
I got mine last Monday! Also Tulare County. But my sister is still waiting for hers and her kids go to same school as mine. I think theyre sending them out in batches by last name maybe???
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Dylan Wright
•Thanks for responding! What letter does your last name start with? Ours is W so maybe they're going alphabetically? Did your sister try calling the hotline?
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Sofia Ramirez
still waiting here too!!!! been 5 weeks!!! this is ridiculous they should just deposit it to our regular EBT cards instead of making new ones every time. the kids are hungry NOW not whenever they feel like mailing the cards smh
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Dmitry Popov
•Unfortunately, P-EBT and regular CalFresh are completely separate programs run by different departments, which is why they can't combine them onto one card. The P-EBT 4.0 rollout for the 2023-2024 school year is happening in phases across California, and Tulare County's distribution appears to be ongoing. According to the CDSS website, all cards should be issued by the end of June 2025, though most counties are getting them much sooner.
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Ava Rodriguez
I had the SAME issue last year with P-EBT 3.0! What worked for me was contacting my child's school nutrition office directly - they had more updated info than the state hotline. Also, P-EBT cards are mailed from out of state (I think Indiana) so they sometimes take longer than expected. If it's any consolation, last year they loaded extra benefits for the delay on some cards. Hang in there!
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Dylan Wright
•Great idea about contacting the school nutrition office! I'll try that tomorrow. Did they have access to see if your card was actually issued or just general info about the program?
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Miguel Ortiz
Just wanted to mention, if you need to reach the P-EBT hotline, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was getting disconnected like you until I tried their service - it holds your place in line and calls you back when a representative is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video demo here if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. The P-EBT hotline has been overwhelmed with the 4.0 rollout, so it's been a game-changer for actually getting through.
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Dylan Wright
•Omg thank you! I've never heard of this but I'm definitely going to try it. I literally can't afford to spend another hour on hold just to get disconnected again. Appreciate the tip!
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Zainab Khalil
my neigbor in porterville got hers last week but im still waiting too. i heard they are doing it by school district maybe? not sure if thats true but maybe call ur kids school and ask if other parents are getting them yet
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QuantumQuest
I was panicking too, but just got mine yesterday! Also Tulare County. They're definitely still rolling them out in our area. One thing to check - make sure your mailing address is updated with your child's school. My friend's card got sent to her old address because she moved mid-year and forgot to update it with the school district.
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Dylan Wright
•Oh that's a relief to hear you just got yours! We haven't moved so address should be correct, but good reminder for everyone else. Did yours come in a special envelope or just regular mail? Want to make sure I don't accidentally throw it out thinking it's junk.
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QuantumQuest
•It came in a plain white envelope from Indiana. Very easy to mistake for junk mail! The return address says something like "P-EBT Processing Center" but it's not super obvious. Just look through everything carefully before tossing anything!
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Sofia Ramirez
JUST GOT MINE TODAY!!!! check ur mail everyone maybe they sent a bunch out at once finally!!!!!
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Dylan Wright
•OMG running to check my mailbox right now!! 🏃♀️
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Dmitry Popov
For those still waiting, there's a specific timeline for P-EBT 4.0 distribution in California. Cards are being mailed between March and June 2025, with different counties prioritized in different waves. If your children qualified for free or reduced-price meals during the 2023-2024 school year, you should receive a card. If you don't receive one by early July, you can request a replacement through the P-EBT Portal at ca.p-ebt.org or by calling the P-EBT Hotline at 877-328-9677. Just be aware the hotline has extremely long wait times currently.
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NebulaKnight
•Is it based on when you applied for free lunches? My kids were approved back in September and I got the card already, but my neighbor applied in January and hasn't gotten theirs yet.
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Dmitry Popov
•It's not directly tied to when you applied for free/reduced lunches, but rather to when your eligibility data was processed and transmitted to CDSS from your school district. Some districts submit their data earlier than others, which can affect distribution timing. The system also processes cards in batches rather than individually, which explains why people in the same area might receive cards at different times.
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Dylan Wright
UPDATE: Got my card today!!! For anyone still waiting, it was in a very plain white envelope that honestly looked like junk mail. $1,482 for my two kids - such a relief. Thanks everyone for the support and info!
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Ava Rodriguez
•So happy for you! Make sure you activate it right away and create a PIN. And just FYI, the benefits do expire eventually (usually after about a year), so don't forget to use them!
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