Summer EBT cards arriving early in Monterey County - last name A batch received
Just got a surprise in the mail today - Summer EBT cards for my kids arrived way earlier than I expected here in Monterey County! Seems like they're processing alphabetically because our last name starts with A. I haven't checked the balance yet to see if they're loaded or just sent early. Has anyone else in Monterey County received theirs? Wondering if this is just for A's or if everyone's rolling out now. Also, do we need to activate these before using them or do they work automatically? This is our first time with the summer program.
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Ethan Clark
got mine 2day too! im in monterey also, last name D so looks like theyre just going thru fast. checked mine and it has $120 per kid already loaded!!! i was shocked bc usually these things take forever lol
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Aisha Mahmood
•Oh cool! Thanks for checking. I'm going to look at the balance when I get home from work. Did you have to activate yours or could you just use it right away?
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AstroAce
The Summer EBT cards for 2025 are rolling out earlier this year in many counties. For Monterey County specifically, they began distribution this week and are working through batches alphabetically, but the entire county should be completed within 2-3 weeks. Each eligible child should receive $120 per month for June, July, and August (total of $360). Important info to know: - Cards should arrive pre-activated, but you still need to create a PIN before first use - Call the number on the back of the card to set up your PIN - Funds expire 9 months after issuance, so use them before then - You can use these at any store that accepts EBT, not just in Monterey County
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Aisha Mahmood
•Thank you for all this info! So each card should have the full $360 already loaded? That's amazing if true. I didn't realize they were pre-activated but need a PIN setup. Will definitely call to set that up tonight.
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Yuki Kobayashi
Ugh I'm in Monterey too, last name S and nothing yet 😩 wait times on the phone to check status are RIDICULOUS though. been trying to get through for 2 days about my regular calfresh issue and keep getting disconnected
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Carmen Vega
•Have you tried using Claimyr? I was in the same boat last month trying to get through about my CalFresh verification and kept getting disconnected. It basically holds your place in line and calls you back when a worker is available. Saved me hours! I used their website claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Was totally worth it when I needed to speak to someone urgently.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•never heard of it but im desperate at this point so might try anything. do they actually connect you to the same monterey county workers or is it some 3rd party thing?
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Andre Rousseau
You might need to activate it before using. When I got mine last year in San Diego (we just moved to Monterey), they weren't active until I called the number on the back of the card. Also check if the summer EBT is different from P-EBT. They're similar programs but sometimes have different rules. For P-EBT we didn't have to do anything special, but Summer EBT required activation.
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AstroAce
•Great point about the distinction! Summer EBT is indeed different from P-EBT. Summer EBT is the new permanent summer food program that replaced the pandemic-era P-EBT. The main difference is that Summer EBT is now a regular program rather than an emergency measure. In California for 2025, all children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals are eligible for Summer EBT, even if they weren't on CalFresh. The cards do require PIN setup before use, which is done by calling the number on the back of the card.
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Aisha Mahmood
•Thanks for clarifying! I got P-EBT during the pandemic but this is our first time with the regular Summer EBT program. I'll definitely call to set up that PIN.
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Zoe Stavros
I work with a community organization in Monterey County, and I can confirm they're sending out Summer EBT cards now through mid-May. The distribution schedule is: Last names A-G: May 1-7 Last names H-M: May 8-14 Last names N-S: May 15-21 Last names T-Z: May 22-28 Regarding balance - each eligible child should have $360 total for the summer ($120/month for 3 months) already loaded. You DO need to call to set up a PIN before using, but the cards are otherwise pre-activated. If your balance doesn't show the full amount, please call the EBT customer service number - some cards are being sent with funds still pending.
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Jamal Harris
•thx 4 sharing this! im T so looks like i got a few weeks to wait 😫
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Aisha Mahmood
•This schedule is super helpful, thank you! I'll definitely check the balance tonight and set up the PIN. Appreciate the heads up about possibly pending funds too - will keep that in mind if I don't see the full amount right away.
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Andre Rousseau
Did you receive a letter first? We haven't gotten anything yet (last name B) but I'm worried our address might be wrong in their system. Last year we missed out on P-EBT because our address wasn't updated after we moved, and it was a huge hassle to get it fixed. Do you know if there's a way to check or update your address specifically for the Summer EBT program?
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Aisha Mahmood
•No, I didn't get any letter first - the cards just showed up unexpectedly. If you're concerned about your address, maybe try calling the county office? Though as others have mentioned, getting through is really difficult. Since your last name starts with B, hopefully your cards will arrive this week based on the schedule someone posted above!
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Ethan Clark
btw did ur cards come in a blue envelope?? mine did and i almost threw it away thinking it was junk mail! they should really mark these better
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Aisha Mahmood
•Yes! Mine was in a plain blue envelope with just the state return address. I almost missed it too! Definitely not clearly marked as important government benefits.
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Jamal Harris
•my freind nearly threw hers away last year bc it looked like a credit card offer LOL
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Zoe Stavros
One more important note for everyone receiving Summer EBT cards: these funds are specifically for purchasing food for your children. Unlike regular CalFresh EBT, you cannot use Summer EBT to purchase: - Hot prepared foods - Non-food items - Vitamins or medicines If you try to purchase ineligible items, the transaction for those specific items will be declined. Also, keep your cards even after the balance is zero - the state may reload them for future programs rather than issuing new cards.
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Aisha Mahmood
•Thanks for this information! So it sounds like the eligible purchases are the same as regular CalFresh EBT (just food items), except we can't get hot prepared foods even at approved restaurants. Good to know about keeping the cards too - that makes sense.
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