I went through the same nightmare last year! What finally worked for me was calling at exactly 8:00 AM on a Wednesday. I also made sure to have all my paperwork spread out on my kitchen table before dialing - SS card, pay stubs, rent receipt, everything. It still took 2.5 hours on hold, but I got through! One tip nobody mentions: if you get disconnected, call back immediately. Sometimes they have a callback feature that kicks in after a certain number of dropped calls. Also, don't hang up if you hear dead air - sometimes it takes a minute for them to pick up even after the hold music stops. You've got this! The system is broken but you deserve those benefits. Keep fighting! 💪

I had a similar struggle a few months ago - it's absolutely maddening! What ended up working for me was using the callback option if your state has one. In Montana, you can request a callback through their online portal instead of waiting on hold. It took about 3 days to get the call back, but at least I didn't have to sit by the phone for hours. Also, try calling different regional offices if possible - sometimes the smaller rural offices have shorter wait times than the main city numbers. Don't give up, you're not alone in this frustration! 🤞

I'm dealing with the exact same frustration right now! Been trying to get through for my initial application interview for over two weeks. The longest I waited was 2.5 hours before the line just went dead - I was so close to tears. It's incredible that we have to treat getting basic food assistance like a full-time job just to reach someone. Maya, I'm so relieved to hear you finally got through! Did they mention anything about callback options or is it really just keep calling until you get lucky? This whole experience has been so demoralizing when you're already struggling financially. Thank you for sharing your success story though - it gives me hope that I'll eventually get my turn too! 🙏

Just wanted to add my voice to this - I'm currently in week 3 of trying to get through for my interview and it's absolutely exhausting! The system is so broken when people in genuine need have to spend entire days just trying to reach someone. Maya, huge congratulations on finally getting through! That gives me hope that eventually I'll succeed too. I've been following some of the tips mentioned here like calling Tuesday/Wednesday mornings and having all my documents ready, but those wait times are still brutal. It's frustrating that we have to become strategic about something that should be straightforward assistance. Thanks for sharing your experience - this community has been such a lifeline during this stressful process! 💪

I just wanted to jump in and say thank you to everyone sharing their experiences and tips! I'm new to navigating the SNAP system and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed by the whole process. Reading through all these strategies - the early morning calls, mid-week timing, using different phone numbers, the redial trick - it's like having a survival guide for dealing with this broken system. It's frustrating that we have to be so strategic just to access basic help, but I'm grateful for this community looking out for each other. Oliver, I hope one of these methods works for you soon! And to everyone else still fighting through this process - your persistence is inspiring. Definitely going to bookmark this thread for when I need to schedule my own interview. Thanks for making this feel less daunting! 🙏

I'm going through this exact same struggle right now! Been trying for days to get my SNAP interview scheduled and it's incredibly frustrating. Reading through all these tips has been a lifesaver though - I had no idea about the early morning strategy or using different phone numbers. The fact that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get help we're entitled to is really disheartening, but I'm grateful for everyone sharing what's actually worked for them. I'm definitely going to try the 7:55 AM approach tomorrow and the mid-week timing. It's so encouraging to see that people do eventually get through and get approved! Thanks for starting this thread Oliver - knowing we're not alone in this makes it feel way less overwhelming. Sending good vibes to everyone still fighting through this broken system! 💪

Have you tried reaching out on social media? Sometimes tweeting at the official SNAP account can get their attention.

I heard they just implemented a new phone system. Anyone know if it's actually any better?