Will EBT Summer 2025 P-EBT cards reload for school kids? Getting conflicting info

My kids' school sent home a flyer last month that said the P-EBT 3.0 cards are NOT going to auto-reload for summer 2025. They said eligible families will receive completely new cards for the summer program if they qualify. The eligibility requirements changed too - now you need to have been on CalFresh at some point between March-May 2025 OR have kids who attended a school with universal free meals. Check if your kids' school participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), because that affects whether they'll qualify automatically.

omg i heard 3 different things from 3 different ppl!! my sons teacher said no more reloads, my sister who works at social services said they WILL reload but only if ur kids were already getting the regular school year ones, and then my neighbor got a text saying they have to apply again?? who even knows anymore 🤦‍♀️

I just went through this last week and spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to someone who actually knew the answer. After getting disconnected 6 times, I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a live person at CalFresh in 20 minutes instead of being on hold forever. The worker confirmed that for Summer 2025, they will NOT be reloading existing P-EBT 3.0 cards. They're issuing new Summer P-EBT cards to eligible households. You can see how the service works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 - it was seriously the only way I could get confirmation instead of being stuck in phone tree hell. The eligibility this time is: 1. Kids who get free/reduced lunch at school 2. Kids at CEP/Provision 2 schools (where everyone gets free meals) 3. Families on CalFresh anytime from March-May 2025 Cards are supposed to arrive in June from what they told me.

I work with the school nutrition program in our district, and I can provide some clarity here. The P-EBT 3.0 program for Summer 2025 will NOT reload existing cards. This is a separate issuance requiring no application for most eligible families. Here's the official breakdown: - Children already receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal are typically automatically eligible - Children at schools with universal free meals (CEP or Provision 2 schools) are automatically eligible - Children approved for free/reduced meals through a household application are eligible New Summer P-EBT cards should be mailed directly to eligible households in June 2025. The benefit amount is expected to be approximately $125 per eligible child for the summer period. This is separate from your regular CalFresh benefits. If your children received P-EBT during the school year, save those cards even after they're empty, as sometimes there are retroactive adjustments. The summer program uses new cards with new case numbers.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!! They never tell us anything until the last minute!! I'm a single mom with 3 kids and I literally have to BUDGET MONTHS in advance because their dad pays child support whenever he feels like it. Last year they said the cards would reload then suddenly they mailed new ones that didn't arrive until AUGUST when summer was almost over!!! Then when I called they said "oh we sent them out in batches" WHY NOT TELL US THAT?? They should just put the summer money on our regular EBT cards instead of these stupid special cards that half the stores don't even know how to process!!!!!

To provide some additional clarity on the P-EBT 3.0 Summer 2025 program: 1. The benefit amount will be $125 per eligible child for the entire summer period 2. New cards will be issued rather than reloading existing school-year P-EBT cards 3. Distribution timeline: Cards will be mailed in batches beginning in mid-June through early July 4. Eligibility verification is automatic through school district data and CalFresh/Medi-Cal databases 5. No application is required for most eligible households If you don't receive a card by July 15th and believe your child should be eligible, you can request a benefit status check through the P-EBT information portal at www.cdss.ca.gov/pebt or by calling the P-EBT Helpline at 877-328-9677 after July 15th. Before that date, representatives won't have access to the summer issuance data. Keep in mind P-EBT is separate from regular CalFresh benefits. If your household income has changed, you might also qualify for ongoing regular CalFresh benefits, which you can apply for at BenefitsCal.com.

my cousin works for the school district and she said they're changing the whole program again because of budget cuts... supposedly the summer benefits might be like $75 instead of the full amount from previous years. has anyone else heard this??

Thank you everyone for all this information! It's been so helpful. I'm going to check my kids' school tomorrow to confirm they're on the CEP list and then just plan on getting new cards in June. I'll make sure to budget accordingly and not count on the current cards being reloaded. I really appreciate all the detailed responses - this community is amazing!

As someone who just went through this whole process, I can confirm what others have said - the Summer 2025 P-EBT cards will be NEW cards, not reloads of existing ones. I spent weeks trying to get a straight answer too! Here's what I learned from finally getting through to someone at CDSS: Keep your current P-EBT cards even after they're empty because sometimes they add retroactive adjustments months later (happened to me last year). The summer cards should arrive between mid-June and early July, and you don't need to apply if your kids already qualify for free/reduced lunch or if you're on CalFresh. One tip that helped me - if you need to call about anything CalFresh related, try calling right when they open at 8am. I had much better luck getting through then instead of calling in the afternoon when everyone else is trying to reach them during lunch breaks. Really hoping they improve the communication next year because this guessing game every season is exhausting for families trying to budget!