did u change adresses recently?? thats why i didnt get my SAR7 form once, they sent it to my old address even tho id updated my info. also check your county has right phone number for u becuz sometimes they try to call b4 they discontinue

After seeing your updates, I'd recommend you do these things immediately: 1. Log into BenefitsCal TODAY and check if you can submit your renewal online before the cutoff date 2. Go to your county office in person first thing tomorrow with ID and ask for emergency assistance submitting your renewal before discontinuance 3. Make sure to bring any required verification documents (pay stubs, rent receipt, utility bills) 4. Request that they note in your file that you never received the renewal forms 5. Get the name of anyone you speak with and write down the date/time Preventive action now will save you weeks of stress compared to trying to restore benefits after they're cut off. If you can submit everything before the effective date, you might avoid any interruption in your benefits.

have u applied for WIC too? since u have a 3 month old u definitely qualify! WIC helps alot with formula and food for the baby and some basic stuff for u too since ur nursing (if u are). they usually approve u right away same day and u can use benefits immediately. its separate from calfresh so ur income might not matter as much. just another option to help with the food situation 👍

I just saw your reply about CalWORKs eligibility. Even with your partner working, you might still qualify for some cash assistance through CalWORKs - especially if you're unemployed with two young children. The income limits are higher than many people realize. For San Bernardino County, a family of 4 can have income up to about $3,800/month (after certain deductions) and still potentially qualify for some level of cash assistance in 2025. What's nice is that once you're approved for CalWORKs (even a small amount), you typically get a higher CalFresh allotment automatically. Also, CalWORKs provides access to other benefits like: - Childcare assistance while you look for work or attend school/training - Medi-Cal coverage if you don't already have it - Job training and employment services - Diaper stipend for children under age 3 Definitely worth applying! Just be aware that unlike CalFresh, CalWORKs does have work requirements for adults (WTW - Welfare to Work), though you might qualify for an exemption with a 3-month-old.

my sister works for the county (not calworks tho) and she said they did upgrade their whole computer system last weekend and its causing ALL KINDS of problems across different benefit programs. she said they're working overtime trying to fix everything!!

UPDATE: Just checked my account and my payment just posted!! Finally showing as deposited not pending. Check your accounts everyone!!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked! Got connected to a worker in about 15 minutes. Turns out they DID send me a notice about needing to update my I-94 documentation since I'm reaching the 8-month limit, but it never arrived. The worker said my case is on hold until they receive the updated documentation. I'm going to the office tomorrow morning with all my papers. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! I'll update again after I go to the office.

FINAL UPDATE: Went to the office today and got everything resolved! They updated my documentation and said my payment should be processed within 3 business days. The worker also helped me apply for CalWORKs since my RCA is ending after next month. She said there might still be a gap between programs but at least I'm prepared for it now. Thanks again everyone for all your advice!

this one time i got an email at like 3am about my calworks interview lol. freaked me out but everything was fine

I think u should call them anyway, just 2 b safe. once I got discontunued even tho I sent everything on time bcuz they said they "lost" my stuff. but really they just didnt want to admit they messed up!!!

so what happened? did u have ur recert appt yet? did they cut ur benefits?

Not yet, it's next week. I'll update after we find out what happens. Really appreciate all the helpful info from everyone here.

FINAL UPDATE: It worked! Was able to withdraw cash for my rent. So relieved! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. For anyone else who has this problem - definitely call EBT customer service directly (not your regular CalWORKs office) and specifically mention the error code 104. And if you're having trouble getting through on the phone, that Claimyr callback service actually worked pretty well.

For future reference, you might want to set up direct deposit for your CalWORKs benefits instead of using the EBT card for cash withdrawals. You can have your cash aid portion deposited directly to your bank account which avoids these card issues completely. Just ask your worker for the form next time you're in contact with them. I switched to direct deposit last year and it's been SO much more reliable!

After your baby is born, don't forget to apply for the special needs food package through WIC! It's completely separate from CalWORKs but most people qualify for both. WIC gave me special breastfeeding support and extra food when my baby was born. Also, the CalWORKs diaper money ($53/month) comes on your EBT card but it's specifically for diapers - a small help but every bit counts with a newborn!

And good luck actually FINDING a caseworker to add your baby to the case after birth!!! I had to call over 20 TIMES after my daughter was born to get someone to answer and update my case. The system is BROKEN!!! And they wonder why people get frustrated and give up. 🤬

Quick update on the Work Study issue - I double-checked the regulations and want to emphasize: Federal Work Study is 100% exempt from being counted as income for BOTH CalWORKs and CalFresh. This is not at the county's discretion - it's federal law under the Higher Education Act. I've seen this mistake happen several times where a worker confuses regular employment with Federal Work Study. The difference in your benefits indicates they're incorrectly counting thousands in annual income that should be exempt. When you speak with your worker or supervisor, be very specific: "My Federal Work Study income is exempt under CalWORKs MPP Section 44-111.24 and for CalFresh under 7 CFR 273.9(c)(3)(ii)." Having the exact regulations helps tremendously.

UPDATE: I finally reached a supervisor today! She reviewed my case and admitted TWO errors: 1. They DID wrongly count my Work Study income (showed her my award letter and she immediately recognized the mistake) 2. Since it was their error with "losing" my SAR7 (which was submitted on time), I qualify for restored benefits for the missing half of the month! They're fixing both issues and I should get the correct benefits in 3-5 business days. She also gave me her direct line in case there are any more problems. THANK YOU everyone for your advice and support - especially about knowing the specific regulations! It made a huge difference when I could quote the exact policies. Will update when the money actually comes through.

Be carful u don't get some1 who just wants to cause troble. My friend reported extra income and the worker was having a bad day or somthing and decided to do a full investigation on her case and found other small mistakes and gave her a ton of overpaymant notices! Sometimes its better to just wait till ur next SAR7 to report it.

Everyone has given good advice here. I just want to add that CalFresh does distinguish between honest mistakes and intentional fraud. The fact that you're actively trying to report this shows you're acting in good faith. Technically, since this was income that existed when you applied, you should have reported it on your application. However, stock income can be confusing since it's not like regular paychecks. When you do connect with a worker, explain that you didn't understand it counted as reportable income. If your stock earnings plus your other income still keeps you within the eligibility limits, they'll likely just adjust your benefit amount going forward. If it would have made you ineligible, they might calculate an overpayment that you'd need to repay. For future reference, the SAR 7 form (Semi-Annual Report) that you'll need to submit every 6 months requires you to report ALL income received in the report month, including investment income. Make sure to include everything on that form to avoid these issues going forward.