I'm new to this community but your story really resonates with me because I just went through almost the exact same thing! The misinformation about Emergency Allotments is so frustrating - I was also told by a worker that I should be getting EA payments when they haven't existed for years. It makes you feel like you're going crazy! Based on what you've shared about your expenses ($2,450 rent + utilities + $800 childcare), there's definitely something wrong with your benefit calculation. For context, I have a family of 3 with similar housing costs and we get $400+ monthly, so $40 for your family of 4 seems way off. A few things that might help when you call tomorrow: - Ask specifically if there's a "shelter deduction cap" applied to your case (sometimes they cap this incorrectly) - Make sure they know about ALL your utility expenses (electric, gas, water/sewer, trash, phone) - Confirm they applied the correct standard deduction for your household size The monthly loading issue suggests your case has some kind of "manual review" flag that's preventing automatic issuance. When this happened to me, it turned out there was an old verification requirement that was never properly cleared from my file. You've got great advice from everyone here - definitely push for a supervisor and don't let them dismiss your concerns. Your family deserves the correct benefits and you shouldn't have to fight for them every month!

I'm new to this community but your situation sounds incredibly frustrating and unfortunately all too familiar. I went through something very similar with my CalFresh benefits earlier this year - the constant calling, different information from every worker, and benefits that seemed way too low for my household size. A few things jumped out at me from your post: 1. The Emergency Allotment confusion is sadly common - many workers aren't up to date on the fact that EA ended in February 2023. That worker who told you about getting back payments was completely wrong. 2. Your $40 for a family of 4 with $2,450 rent is definitely incorrect. Even with moderate income, your shelter costs alone should result in much higher benefits. 3. Having to call every month to get benefits loaded suggests there's a system glitch or verification flag stuck on your account. When I had similar issues, what finally worked was calling and specifically asking for an "eligibility review specialist" rather than a regular worker. I also made sure to mention that I needed both a "benefit recalculation due to unreported expenses" AND a "systems review for EBT loading issues." The fact that you applied for both CalWORKs and CalFresh simultaneously might be part of the problem - sometimes those dual applications create ongoing system conflicts even after one program is denied. Don't give up! With your housing and childcare costs, you should be getting significantly more than $40. Document everything when you call and push for a supervisor if needed.

u got lucky they had someone at the dropbox! at my county office the dropbox is just like a mail slot in the wall lol. no receipts or nothing. glad u got ur SAR-7 in on time tho!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to CalWORKs and had no idea there were so many backup options when the BenefitsCal system fails. I've been stressed about submitting my first SAR-7 next month and was worried about what would happen if I ran into technical issues. Reading about the dropboxes, fax options, and the importance of documenting everything really helps me feel more prepared. It's frustrating that we have to deal with these system problems, but at least now I know I'm not alone and there are workarounds. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

Hi there! As a newer member of this community, I just wanted to say how amazing it is to see everyone come together to help each other navigate these benefits! I'm a single mom with a 4-year-old and I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now. Reading through all these responses brought back memories of how confusing everything was at first. I wish I had known about this community when I started - it would have saved me so much stress and confusion! The information about the diaper benefit is so valuable. Even though my child is past diaper age now, I wish I had known about that extra $30/month when he was younger. It really shows how important it is to ask questions and advocate for ourselves. For anyone reading who might be new like the original poster was - don't be afraid to ask your caseworker about ALL the benefits you might be eligible for. I learned the hard way that they don't always volunteer information about everything available. Also, this community is such a great resource for real-world advice from people who actually understand what we're going through. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences here. It's posts and responses like these that make such a difference for families trying to make ends meet!

Welcome to the community! I'm so glad you found this place and were able to get your questions answered. As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about a year now, I remember feeling just as confused when I first started. Just wanted to add a couple more tips that have helped me along the way: 1. Download the ebtEDGE app if you haven't already - it lets you check your Cash Aid and CalFresh balances without having to call or go online, and it shows nearby ATMs that don't charge fees. 2. Some pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens often have really good sales on diapers, and they accept EBT Cash. I've found some great deals there, especially when they have their store brand diapers on promotion. 3. If you're comfortable with it, consider cloth diapers for at home use - I know it sounds old-fashioned, but the upfront cost with your Cash Aid can actually save money long-term, and you can still use disposables when you're out and about. I'm really happy to see that you got the diaper benefit sorted out! That extra $30 makes such a difference. Don't hesitate to keep asking questions here - this community has been such a lifeline for me, and everyone genuinely wants to help each other succeed. Wishing you and your little one all the best!

Hey! I went through something really similar last year with CalFresh overpayment collections. Those letters are super scary but they're mostly automated - the collection system and benefits system don't talk to each other at all. One thing that really helped me was keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking my EBT statements each month to make sure the $60 reduction was actually happening. Screenshot your benefit amount before and after each month if you can. Also, if you reported your income through BenefitsCal, there should be a timestamp on your submission. You might be able to log in and check your message history to see the exact date you reported. If it was within 10 days like the rules require, definitely fight the overpayment amount. The letters will probably keep coming for a few more months unfortunately, but as long as your benefits are being reduced each month you're doing everything right. Just keep all the paperwork together in case you need it later!

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! Got my first collection letter last week even though they've been reducing my CalFresh by $45/month since December. It's such a relief to read all these responses and know this is normal (even if it's frustrating). One thing I learned from calling the county's main number is that you can request a "payment history statement" that shows all the benefit reductions they've taken so far. They told me to send a written request with my case number and they'll mail it back within 10 business days. Might be worth trying since phone calls aren't working. Also wanted to mention - if you're getting collection letters that mention both CalWORKs and CalFresh like some people mentioned, definitely double-check that with someone. My cousin had an issue where they were accidentally collecting for the wrong program and it took months to sort out. Stay strong - sounds like you're doing everything right! The system is just really bad at communicating between departments.

Let us know what happens! I'm curious if going in person works better than calling.

So glad you got it resolved! This is exactly why I always recommend going in person when possible - sometimes these system glitches just need a human to actually look at your case and fix the status. 2.5 hours is a long wait but totally worth it to keep your benefits going. Thanks for updating us - this will be really helpful for other people dealing with the same issue!