Will January-May 2023 P-EBT benefits reload on 3.0 cards this month?
I'm super confused about the P-EBT benefits from last school year (Jan-May 2023). My kids qualified and we already have the 3.0 cards from previous distributions, but I haven't seen any updates about when these benefits are supposed to be loaded. Has anyone heard if they're coming this month? I've been checking my cards every few days but nothing so far. Really counting on this to help with our grocery budget since prices have gotten so crazy in 2025. The school district wasn't helpful when I called - they just said to check with the state, but I can't get through on the P-EBT hotline.
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Jamal Edwards
The January-May 2023 P-EBT benefits are actually being issued on a rolling basis starting next month (March 2025). They're doing it by county alphabetical order, so depending on where you live, you might get them anytime between March and April. And yes, they'll use the same 3.0 cards you already have. Check the CDSS website - they updated the issuance schedule last week. Hope this helps!
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ThunderBolt7
•Thank you! I had no idea they were doing it by county alphabetical order. We're in Yolo County so I guess we'll be waiting till April. Ugh. Any idea how much the benefit amount will be per child? The amounts seem to change every time.
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Mei Chen
idk my neighbor said they already got theirs but im in alameda county and nothing on my kids cards. its so frustrating how they never tell us anything!! i called the pebt number like 5 times and it just says "due to high call volume" and hangs up!!! how r we supposed to know whats going on??
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Your neighbor is probably confused about which benefit period they received. The Jan-May 2023 period definitely hasn't been issued yet. They might have gotten the Summer 2023 P-EBT which was distributed last fall. A lot of people mix these up since there are so many different benefit periods.
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Amara Okonkwo
The official CDSS P-EBT website (pebt.cdss.ca.gov) shows the January-May 2023 issuance is scheduled for March-April 2025. They'll use existing 3.0 cards and the benefit amounts should be around $195 per eligible student for that period, depending on how many school days your child's school was in remote/hybrid learning. This is separate from the Summer 2023 P-EBT which was already issued last October-November. Also, make sure your mailing address is current with your school district since that's what they use for the P-EBT database. If you've moved since 2023 and didn't update your address with the school, you might need to request a replacement card.
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ThunderBolt7
•Thanks for the detailed info! $195 per kid will definitely help us. And thankfully we haven't moved so our address should be current with the school. I wish they'd just send text updates when these benefits are coming instead of making everyone hunt for information.
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Giovanni Marino
im so SICK of this p-ebt nonsense!!! why are they just NOW sending benefits from 2023?? my kids were hungry THEN not 2 years later! the whole system is designed to frustrate people so they give up. and then half the time the cards dont even work at the store and the cashiers look at you like youre trying to scam them.
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•I understand your frustration! The delays have been ridiculous. From what I've heard, they had to get special federal approval to extend the issuance timeframe because of processing backlogs. But I haven't had any issues using the P-EBT cards at stores - they work just like regular EBT. If cashiers are giving you trouble, ask to speak with a manager because they're required to accept them.
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Dylan Hughes
I was able to reach someone at the state PEBT office last week using Claimyr. Saved me HOURS of waiting and getting disconnected. The rep confirmed March-April rollout and said it's about $195 per kid for that Jan-May 2023 period. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 - it lets you skip the whole wait time thing. Their website is claimyr.com. Was totally worth it to actually talk to someone and get answers.
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ThunderBolt7
•I've never heard of Claimyr before. Does it work for regular CalFresh calls too? I've been trying to get through about my regular benefits as well and it's been impossible.
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Dylan Hughes
•Yes it works for regular CalFresh too! That's actually what I first used it for when I needed to report an address change and couldn't get through to my county worker for weeks. It basically holds your place in line and calls you back when a real person is on the line.
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Liam O'Sullivan
Lots of misinformation here. These P-EBT benefits are NOT CalFresh. They're administered by CDSS but they're actually education benefits through CDE that just use the EBT system for distribution. That's why you can't get info from your CalFresh worker about P-EBT. Different funding source, different eligibility, different issuance schedule. The January-May 2023 benefits are coming in March-April depending on your county.
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Mei Chen
•ok but why does it matter who funds it?? we just need to know when the money is coming and how much. all these government departments just pass the buck and no one takes responsibility for giving clear information to families
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Liam O'Sullivan
•It matters because people waste time calling the wrong offices. If you call CalFresh about P-EBT, they can't help you. That's why there's a separate P-EBT hotline. I agree the communication could be better though.
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Fatima Al-Sayed
Our elementary school sent home a flyer about this last week. The Jan-May 2023 P-EBT is scheduled for distribution in March-April 2025, and benefits will be loaded onto existing 3.0 cards. For anyone who lost their card, you can request a replacement at 877-328-9677. Just a heads up - the replacement takes 7-10 business days, so if you need a new card, request it now before the benefits are loaded. Hope this helps!
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ThunderBolt7
•Your school actually sent home information?! That's amazing. Our district never communicates anything about P-EBT. Thanks for sharing this info - I still have our cards but this is good for anyone who needs replacements.
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Mei Chen
wait so this is different from calfresh right? i get regular ebt but my kids still got pebt cards during covid. will they still get this benefit even tho our income went up and we dont get calfresh anymore?
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Amara Okonkwo
•Yes, P-EBT is completely separate from CalFresh. P-EBT eligibility is based on whether your children qualified for free or reduced-price school meals during the specific time period (in this case, January-May 2023). If your kids were eligible during that period, they'll receive the benefit regardless of your current income or CalFresh status. The eligibility was determined based on your situation in 2023, not now.
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