Will CalFresh benefits still deposit if my EBT card is frozen? Need urgent help!

Don't worry! The freeze only affects your ability to use the card for purchases, not the actual deposit of benefits. Your CalFresh benefits will still be added to your account on your regular issuance date regardless of whether your card is frozen or not. The freezing feature is just a security measure to prevent unauthorized purchases if your card is lost or stolen. When you're ready to use your benefits, just remember to unfreeze the card through the app or by calling the number on the back of your card.

i froze mine 4 diffrent times, benefits still go on. its just like a switch that stops u from spending but everything else works normal. dont stress about it

The previous responses are correct that your benefits will still deposit, but there's a bit more to understand about the EBT freeze function. When you freeze your card: - Benefits still deposit on schedule - You cannot make purchases until unfrozen - Some account functions may be limited - The freeze stays active until you manually unfreeze One thing to note: if you're also on CalWORKs and get cash benefits, those will also still deposit but will be unusable until you unfreeze. If your trip is longer than a few days, I'd recommend setting a calendar reminder to unfreeze it so you don't forget.

WAIT I HAD THIS EXACT ISSUE and when I called calfresh they said my benefits woudnt deposit to a frozen card but when I contacted the EBT people they said it would?!?! The system is sooo confusing and nobody gives straight answers!! Did u get ur benefits???

If you're having trouble reaching someone at CalFresh for a definitive answer, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It helped me skip the phone queues when I had a similar urgent question about my benefits. You just go to claimyr.com and they connect you directly to a live person at CalFresh instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. I was connected in minutes when I normally would've waited for hours. The EBT card representatives can confirm your benefits will still deposit while frozen.

I freeze my card all the time between shopping trips (paranoid about card skimmers lol). Your benefits will 100% still deposit on schedule. The freeze is just like putting a lock on your front door - the mail still gets delivered to your mailbox even if your house is locked up! Just remember to unfreeze before you try to shop or you'll be standing at the checkout confused like I was the first time. 😂

update??????? did ur benefits come thru ok??

That's great news Paolo! Thanks for updating us with the outcome. This thread will be super helpful for other people who run into the same situation. I was actually wondering about this myself since I sometimes panic and freeze my card when I can't find it immediately. Good to know the benefits system is separate from the card freeze function. Hope your work trip went well too!

This is such valuable information! I've been on CalFresh for about 6 months now and had no idea how the freeze function actually worked. I was always terrified to use it because I thought it might somehow interfere with my benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has really put my mind at ease. I'm definitely going to start freezing my card when I'm not actively shopping - especially after hearing about the card skimmer prevention. It's amazing how something that seems scary at first (freezing your lifeline to food) is actually just a helpful security tool. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, and Paolo for asking the question so many of us probably wondered about but were too nervous to ask!

This is such a helpful thread! I just started receiving CalFresh benefits two months ago and have been so paranoid about doing anything that might affect my deposits. I actually avoided using the freeze feature entirely because I was worried it would somehow block my benefits from coming through. Reading everyone's experiences here - especially Paolo's successful outcome - has really eased my anxiety about this. It's reassuring to know that the EBT system is designed to keep benefit deposits separate from card security features. I'm definitely going to start using the freeze function now, especially when I'm traveling or if I can't find my card right away. Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

This whole discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been on CalFresh for about a year now and honestly never fully understood how the freeze function worked. Like many others here, I was always hesitant to use it because I worried it might somehow interfere with my benefits or cause issues with the system. Reading through Paolo's original question and seeing everyone's real-world experiences has been so reassuring. The analogy about the frozen card being like a locked house where mail still gets delivered really clicked for me - it perfectly explains how the benefit deposit system works independently from the card's spending functionality. I'm definitely going to start using the freeze feature more proactively now, especially the tip about freezing between shopping trips to prevent card skimmers. It's amazing how a feature that seemed risky before now feels like an essential security tool. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge here!