Late SAR 7 submission - CalWORKs still active but CalFresh discontinued?

You need to call your eligibility worker ASAP. When you submit a late SAR 7, they don't automatically reinstate your benefits - you have to request it. Since your CalWORKs is still active, that's good news! It means they probably processed your SAR 7 for Cash Aid but haven't processed the CalFresh portion yet. If you call them, they can often reinstate CalFresh without a new application as long as it's within 30 days of discontinuance. Just explain you had the SAR 7 submitted late but it shows as received.

omg i hate those SAR 7s! forget to check ONE box and they cut u off! same thing happened to me last year but with my cash aid too. had to wait 3 weeks to get it back and they didn't give me the money i missed!!

I went through this EXACT situation in January. Turned in my SAR 7 ten days late. CalWORKs stayed on but CalFresh shut off. I spent TWO DAYS trying to get through on the phone and kept getting disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they have a system that waits on hold for you and then calls you when a worker answers. Totally worth it because I got through in 45 minutes instead of days of trying. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE When I finally talked to someone, they reinstated my CalFresh the same day without me having to reapply. They can do a "restoration" if it's been less than 30 days since discontinuance.

My cousin works for the county and she says they ALWAYS separate CalWORKs and CalFresh when processing SAR 7s. Something about different departments handling them even though we just submit one form. So annoying!!

The same thing happened to me and the county told me I had to completely reapply for CalFresh, even though my SAR 7 was only 5 days late!!! I think your worker makes a big difference - some will help you and others just want to make things difficult. Make sure you talk to a supervisor if the first person says you need to reapply. And don't forget to ask for expedited CalFresh since you have no food benefits right now. They're supposed to process expedited apps within 3 days.

Just wanted to say I know how stressful this is... I have 4 kids and when my CalFresh got cut off last year because of paperwork issues, I was so worried about feeding them. Don't forget to check with your local food bank while you're getting this sorted out. Most give emergency food boxes that can last a week or two.

One more thing - when you do talk to someone, make sure they understand you had BOTH CalWORKs and CalFresh before. Sometimes they only see the active CalWORKs case and might tell you that "everything is fine" not realizing you're missing CalFresh. Be very clear that you're calling about the discontinued CalFresh specifically.

Update: I finally got through to someone! Used that Claimyr service that was recommended and it worked great. The worker reinstated my CalFresh and said I'll get this month's benefits loaded onto my card within 3 business days. She said since I submitted the SAR 7 within the "cure period" (30 days from discontinuance), they could just reactivate it without a new application. Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you got it resolved! This is such a common issue and it's frustrating how different workers handle it so differently. Just wanted to add for anyone else who might be dealing with this - if you're having trouble getting through by phone, you can also try going to your local county office in person. Sometimes it's faster than waiting on hold for hours. Also, keep a copy of your SAR 7 submission confirmation (screenshot from BenefitsCal or whatever proof you have) because they might ask for it when you're requesting the restoration.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my SAR 7 was about 10 days late and my CalFresh got cut off but CalWORKs is still going. Reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that I can get it restored. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service to get through to someone since I've been trying to call for 3 days with no luck. One question though - does anyone know if they'll ask for additional documentation when they do the restoration, or do they just use the late SAR 7 I already submitted? I'm worried they might want updated pay stubs or something since it's been a few weeks now.

I'm going through almost the exact same thing right now! My SAR 7 was about a week late and CalFresh got discontinued while CalWORKs stayed active. Reading through all these responses is giving me so much hope - I had no idea about the 30-day cure period or that they could restore benefits without making me reapply. I've been panicking thinking I'd have to start completely over. I'm definitely going to try calling tomorrow and if I can't get through, I'll check out that Claimyr service everyone mentioned. It's so reassuring to see that this is actually a pretty common issue and that there are solutions. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for helping people navigate this confusing system!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! My SAR 7 was about 10 days late and my CalFresh benefits got discontinued while my CalWORKs stayed active. I've been trying to get through to my eligibility worker for the past week with no luck - the phone lines are always busy and I keep getting disconnected. Reading this thread has been incredibly helpful though! I had no idea about the 30-day cure period or that they could restore benefits without making me do a whole new application. I was panicking thinking I'd have to start completely over and wait weeks for a new approval. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service that Alice mentioned to get through to someone. It's such a relief to know this is a common issue and that there are solutions. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for helping navigate this confusing system!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now too! My SAR 7 was about 2 weeks late and CalFresh got cut off while CalWORKs is still active. I've been so stressed about this but reading everyone's experiences here is giving me so much hope. I had no idea there was a 30-day "cure period" where they can restore benefits without making you reapply - that's incredibly helpful information! I've been trying to call for days but keep getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Definitely going to try that Claimyr service that several people mentioned. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and advice - it's amazing how much practical knowledge this community has. Knowing that this is actually a pretty common issue and that there are real solutions makes me feel so much less alone in dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare. I'll update once I get through to someone!

This thread is incredibly valuable! I'm a single parent who just started receiving CalWORKs and CalFresh a few months ago, and I had no idea about any of these rules around late SAR 7 submissions. The 30-day cure period is such important information that I wish was explained better when you first get approved for benefits. Reading everyone's experiences really highlights how much the outcome depends on which worker you get and how well they know the system. I'm definitely going to set multiple reminders for my SAR 7 deadlines and keep screenshots of any submissions as proof. Thank you to everyone who shared practical tips like using Claimyr to get through phone lines and specific language to use when requesting restoration. It's also reassuring to know that going to the county office in person is an option if phone calls aren't working. This community is such a lifeline for navigating this complex system!

This thread has been incredibly educational for me as someone who's relatively new to the CalWORKs system! I had a close call with my SAR 7 deadline last month - submitted it literally on the last day and was sweating bullets the whole time. Reading about everyone's experiences with late submissions and the 30-day cure period is such valuable information that I wish was more clearly communicated when you first get approved. The fact that CalWORKs and CalFresh can be processed separately even though you submit one form explains so much confusion I've had about the system. I'm definitely implementing the advice about setting early reminders and keeping submission screenshots. It's also great to know about resources like Claimyr for getting through those impossible phone lines - I've wasted entire days trying to reach someone before. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and practical tips. This community's collective knowledge is amazing and it's clear how much people here genuinely want to help each other succeed in navigating these complex systems!

This whole discussion has been such an eye-opener! I'm a new community member and currently going through my first year on CalWORKs/CalFresh. Reading through everyone's experiences with late SAR 7 submissions is both terrifying and reassuring - terrifying because I had no idea how easy it was to mess this up, but reassuring because there are actually solutions and this community has so much knowledge to share. The 30-day cure period is absolutely crucial information that should be front and center in all the initial paperwork they give you. I'm definitely going to set up multiple calendar alerts and bookmark this thread as a reference. The tip about using specific language like "restore" or "reinstate" when calling seems so important, and knowing about services like Claimyr could be a lifesaver if I ever need to get through those impossible phone lines. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - it really shows how much we all need to look out for each other in navigating this system!