Will P-EBT cards from previous issuances be reloaded for July 2025?
My neighbor has a P-EBT card from the first round of distributions back when they started the program, and she just mentioned she got a text saying something about her card being reloaded in July 2025. I'm confused because I thought P-EBT was a one-time benefit for each issuance period. Has anyone heard if they're actually reusing the old cards instead of sending new ones this time? She doesn't have regular CalFresh, just the P-EBT for her kids, and we're trying to figure out if this is legit or some kind of scam text. The message mentioned keeping her card even if it's empty. Any info would be super helpful!
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Nina Chan
Yes, they are reloading existing P-EBT cards for the 2024-2025 school year benefits that will be distributed in July 2025. This is a change from previous years when they would mail new cards. California DSS announced this a few months ago - they're trying to reduce waste and confusion with multiple cards. If your neighbor still has her original P-EBT card, she should definitely keep it! The funds will be loaded automatically if her children qualify. The text message sounds legitimate - CDSS has been sending notifications to prepare families.
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Douglas Foster
•Oh wow, thanks for the info! That makes sense about reducing waste. Do you know if there's a way for her to check if her kids qualify before July? She's worried about planning her summer food budget.
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Ruby Knight
That text is 100% a SCAM!!!!! My cousin got the same thing last month and when she called the number in the text they tried to get her card info!!! NEVER trust random texts about benefits!!! Always call the OFFICIAL number on the back of the card!!
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Nina Chan
•While you're right to be cautious about scams, the California Department of Social Services is actually sending legitimate texts about P-EBT card reloading for July 2025. But your advice about calling the official number is excellent - that's always the safest way to verify. The official P-EBT website (ca.p-ebt.org) also has this information about reusing existing cards.
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Ruby Knight
•oh maybe youre right... the text my cousin got had a weird link and asked for her info right away. maybe the real ones are different
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Diego Castillo
In my experience working with several families who receive P-EBT, the state is indeed planning to reload existing cards. This approach started in late 2024 as part of their streamlining efforts. If your neighbor wants to verify her children's eligibility, she can call the P-EBT Helpline at 877-328-9677 (they've improved their wait times significantly) or check the CA P-EBT Portal online. Eligibility is primarily based on whether the children attend schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and meet income requirements. The July 2025 issuance should cover summer benefits for eligible children.
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Douglas Foster
•Thank you for the specific information! I'll let her know to check the portal. Her kids are at Jefferson Elementary which I think does have the free lunch program for all students.
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Logan Stewart
my kids got p-ebt last year but we lost the card do u know if theyll send a new 1 or do we need 2 request replacement??
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Diego Castillo
•You'll need to request a replacement card if you've lost the original. Call the P-EBT Helpline at 877-328-9677 to report the lost card and request a new one. Do this as soon as possible since there can be processing delays, especially as we get closer to the July distribution. Make sure you have your children's information ready when you call.
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Mikayla Brown
If your friend is struggling to get through to P-EBT customer service (which happens A LOT), she might want to try Claimyr. I had to wait on hold for hours trying to confirm my kids' P-EBT status last month, and a coworker recommended this service. They basically hold your place in line and call you when an actual human picks up. Saved me literally hours of waiting with the phone on speaker. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Especially helpful since the P-EBT hotline gets crazy busy right before benefits are distributed.
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Douglas Foster
•Thanks for the tip! She's tried calling twice already and got disconnected both times after waiting forever. I'll pass this along to her.
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Sean Matthews
Just to clarify something important - P-EBT and CalFresh are different programs, though they both provide food benefits. P-EBT is specifically for families with children who would normally receive free or reduced-price school meals. The current P-EBT issuance for July 2025 covers Summer 2025 P-EBT benefits. And yes, they are reusing existing cards for families who still have them. For the 2024-2025 benefit period, they've moved to a model where they try to reuse cards when possible rather than issuing new ones every time. If someone has lost their card, they can request a replacement through the P-EBT helpline.
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Logan Stewart
•do u know how much the summer benifits will be? last year it was like $120 per kid i think
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Sean Matthews
•For Summer 2025, the benefit amount is approximately $155 per eligible child for the entire summer period. This is a slight increase from the previous year due to inflation adjustments for food costs. The exact amount can vary slightly depending on various factors, but that's the standard amount most eligible children will receive.
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Douglas Foster
Update: My neighbor checked her text again and it's definitely from the official P-EBT number she's gotten messages from before. Thanks everyone for the help! She's going to call the hotline tomorrow to verify her kids' eligibility. This community is always so helpful!
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Ali Anderson
•Glad to hear it was legitimate! I went through something similar last month - was convinced a text was a scam until I called and verified. With all the benefit scams going around these days, you can never be too careful.
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Logan Stewart
does anyone know if the p-ebt card works the same as the regular ebt card?? can she use it at farmers markets and get the extra match?
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Nina Chan
•Yes, P-EBT cards work very similar to regular EBT cards at most locations that accept SNAP/CalFresh. And you're right about farmers markets - P-EBT benefits do qualify for Market Match and other incentive programs that double your dollars at participating farmers markets. This is a great way to stretch those benefits and get fresh produce! The only real difference is that P-EBT is specifically for families with school-age children and has different issuance schedules.
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