Will we receive more P-EBT 4.0 benefits after initial $120 payment on CalFresh EBT card?
Just received my $120 P-EBT 4.0 payment on my EBT card yesterday. I'm confused because I thought P-EBT was supposed to be more than that for the whole summer? My daughter is 7 and qualifies for free school lunch. Will they be loading more P-EBT money later or was the $120 the total amount for P-EBT 4.0? I'm trying to budget for summer groceries and need to know if I should expect additional payments or if that's all we're getting. Has anyone else received their P-EBT and know if more is coming?
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LilMama23
The P-EBT 4.0 is being issued in multiple payments, not just the one-time $120. According to the CDSS website, the $120 is just the first payment covering summer 2024. Most eligible children will receive around $455 total for the summer period, but it's being distributed in several payments throughout the summer months. The payments are scheduled to come approximately 30 days apart. Check your BenefitsCal account or the P-EBT portal for your specific issuance schedule.
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Aisha Patel
AuthorOh thank goodness! I was really worried because $120 doesn't go very far for feeding a growing kid all summer. Do you know if they'll come on the same date each month or just randomly? I hate checking my card balance every day hoping for a deposit.
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Dmitri Volkov
my nefew got $120 then another $175 two weeks later so keep checking ur card. they dont send notifcations or anything just randomly shows up
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Aisha Patel
AuthorThanks! That gives me hope. Wish they'd just tell us when to expect it instead of making us guess.
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Gabrielle Dubois
The P-EBT 4.0 benefit is distributed in phases, with the $120 being the first payment. The total summer benefit amount should be approximately $455 per eligible child for summer 2024, but this gets loaded incrementally. The timing varies by county and last name, so not everyone receives subsequent payments on the same schedule. If you need to confirm your specific payment schedule, you should try calling the P-EBT hotline at 877-328-9677, but be prepared for very long wait times. Many parents have reported waiting 2+ hours or getting disconnected. Alternatively, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to my county worker about my P-EBT questions. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. They basically call for you, wait on hold, and then call you when a real person answers. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Tyrone Johnson
I HATE HATE HATE the PEBT hotline!!!! been disconnected 5 TIMES trying to figure out why my second kid didnt get anything yet!!! might try that claimyr thing cause im about to lose my mind with these wait times
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Ingrid Larsson
Is P-EBT the same thing as CalFresh? Or is it something separate? I'm confused about all these different programs.
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LilMama23
They're separate programs. P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) was created during COVID to help families who had children missing school meals, and it's continued as Summer EBT in many states. CalFresh is California's regular SNAP/food stamp program that's available year-round based on income eligibility. P-EBT benefits do get loaded onto your EBT card if you have one, which causes some confusion. If you don't have an EBT card, P-EBT comes on a special white P-EBT card.
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Carlos Mendoza
I got the $120 on June 10th for my two kids and then another payment of $150 each on July 8th. My neighbor said there should be one more payment coming in August to reach the full amount. I don't think they do it all at once to prevent people from selling their benefits or something like that. Just keep your EBT card and check it regularly!
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Aisha Patel
AuthorThank you for the specific dates! That really helps me plan. I'll watch for a deposit around August 5th-10th then. Makes sense they'd spread it out I guess.
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Zainab Mahmoud
Umm i dont think thats right. My caseworker told me the P-EBT 4.0 is a one-time payment of $120 per kid because funding got cut this year. Maybe ur thinking of last summer when it was more? I only got $120 for my son and nothing else has come through in the last 5 weeks.
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LilMama23
Your caseworker is misinformed. The P-EBT 4.0 program for Summer 2024 provides approximately $455 per eligible child in California. This is federally funded and hasn't been reduced to $120. The $120 is just the first of multiple payments. If nothing more has arrived after 5 weeks, I'd recommend contacting the P-EBT hotline or checking the P-EBT portal to verify your child's eligibility status. Sometimes there are issues with the school reporting that need to be resolved.
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Dmitri Volkov
mines just came random not the same day each month so dont count on it comin on a spefic day just keep checkin
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Tyrone Johnson
My daughters school sent out an email explaining the whole P-EBT 4.0 schedule! The $120 is definitely just the first payment, with 2-3 more scheduled through August. Total should be about $455 per kid for the summer. They said the weird payment amounts and schedule is because of how the federal money got released to the states. Check with your kids school - mine had all the info!
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Aisha Patel
AuthorWow, your school is on top of things! Mine didn't send anything. I'll email our school secretary to see if they have any info about the schedule. Thanks for the tip!
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Giovanni Martello
I'm new to the P-EBT program and this is super helpful! My 5-year-old just started kindergarten this year and qualified for free lunch. I haven't received anything yet on my EBT card - should I be worried? Do I need to apply somewhere or does it come automatically if my child gets free school meals? I'm not sure if I'm supposed to do something to get the P-EBT benefits or if they just show up. Any advice for a confused parent?
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