When will CalFresh P-EBT 3.0 cards get second deposit - Is it happening?

Yes, there is definitely a second P-EBT 3.0 deposit scheduled. The current timeline shows the second payment should arrive approximately 60-75 days after the first deposit, so likely sometime next month. The second payment is typically around $365-$425 per eligible child based on the remaining school months covered. Keep in mind that P-EBT 3.0 is different from regular CalFresh - it's specifically for school-aged children who would have received free or reduced lunch during the school year. The total benefit amount per child should be around $820-$880 total across both payments for the full school year.

im pretty sure theres only 1 payment this time... my cousin works for the school district and said they changed everything for 2024-25. the whole $820 supposed to be in that first payment already. did u check your balance?

When I called about my kids' cards last week (took FOREVER to get through), the worker told me second payments are scheduled for mid-April, but could be delayed depending on your county. They're processing them in batches. She said we won't get any notification letters, the money will just appear on the cards. You should definitely keep checking your balance every couple weeks. If you need to talk to someone at CalFresh/P-EBT about your specific situation, I used this service called Claimyr that helped me skip the whole phone queue nightmare. It basically holds your place in line and calls you back when a real person is available. Saved me so much frustration! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

ugh the whole P-EBT program is SO CONFUSING this year!!! they keep changing the rules and nobody seems to know what's happening. i spent THREE HOURS on the phone yesterday trying to find out why my daughter's card had less money than my son's even though they're both in the same school. turns out they're basing it on school attendance now?? like if your kid missed too many days they get less money?? that was never a thing before! and yeah, they said second deposit is coming but couldn't tell me exactly when. the whole system is a JOKE.

To add some clarity here: P-EBT 3.0 for the 2024-2025 school year follows a two-payment structure. The first payment covered August 2024 through December 2024. The second payment covers January 2025 through May 2025. The timing of the second deposit varies by county and is rolling out between April 1-30, 2025. You can verify your balance by calling the number on the back of the P-EBT card or checking online at the EBT portal. Important: P-EBT is separate from regular CalFresh benefits. If you need additional food assistance beyond P-EBT, you should apply for regular CalFresh benefits if you haven't already.

Update: Just wanted to let everyone know that I finally got through to someone at the P-EBT hotline. They confirmed the second deposit is definitely coming in April. The exact date depends on the first letter of your child's last name - they're doing a staggered release to avoid overwhelming the system. The representative said for last names A-G it's April 8-12, H-M is April 15-19, and N-Z is April 22-26. Hope this helps others who were wondering!