Hey Demi! I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out because I just went through a really similar situation a few months ago. I'm also a single parent in LA and was renting from my aunt while she lived elsewhere. I was SO worried about the application because of the complicated living arrangement, but it honestly went much smoother than I expected. The main thing that helped me was being super clear and consistent every time I explained the situation. I literally wrote down a simple explanation beforehand and used the exact same wording every time - something like "I rent from [family member] who owns the property but does not reside here with me and my children." For the emergency CalFresh, they really do prioritize families with kids when you meet the income requirements. Since you mentioned your income is under $150/month, you should definitely qualify for the 3-day processing. Just make sure to emphasize that when you apply. Also, don't stress too much about having every single document perfect right away. They can always ask for more verification later, but the most important thing is getting that application submitted so your kids can get the help they need. You're being such a good parent by reaching out for support - that takes real courage. Apply tonight and don't look back! You've got this! 💙

I'm so glad you reached out for help! Your situation is actually pretty common and shouldn't be a problem at all. I've been on CalFresh for about a year now and had to explain my own complicated living situation when I applied. The key thing to remember is that CalFresh looks at who actually lives together and shares food - not who's on the lease or utility bills. Since your mom doesn't live with you, she's not part of your household period. You just need to be clear that your household is you + your 2 kids (so household size of 3) and that you pay rent to your mom who lives elsewhere. When I applied, I just wrote a simple statement explaining my living arrangement in the comments section of the application. Something like "I rent from my mother [name] but we maintain separate households. She does not reside at this address." Keep it short and factual. Since you mentioned your income is really low right now, you should definitely qualify for emergency CalFresh! With kids in the household and income under $150/month, they should process it within 3 days. Don't let the paperwork stress stop you from getting help - your kids need food now and that's exactly what this program is for. You're doing great by reaching out. Submit that application tonight! 💪

I'm really glad you shared this experience and that you trusted your instincts! This is absolutely a scam - I've been receiving CalFresh benefits for about 2 years now and can confirm that legitimate county workers will NEVER ask for your EBT PIN or full card number over the phone. That's the biggest red flag. What these scammers do is really sick - they deliberately target people who depend on food assistance because they know we might panic and give up information if we think our benefits are at risk. It's such a predatory practice. A few things that have helped me feel more secure about these situations: - I never answer calls from numbers I don't recognize anymore - If it's important, legitimate callers will leave a detailed voicemail with their name, department, and what they need - I always verify by checking my BenefitsCal account first, then calling my county office using the official number from my paperwork - Real issues with your case will show up as written notices in your account before anyone calls You did exactly the right thing by hanging up and posting here to warn others. Definitely consider reporting this to your county office - they track these scam patterns and use the information to help protect other recipients. Thank you for looking out for our community!

I'm so sorry you had to deal with this but you absolutely did the right thing hanging up! These EBT scam calls have become a huge problem in our community. I've been on CalFresh for about 18 months and can confirm that legitimate county workers will NEVER ask for your PIN or full card number over the phone - that's always a scam. What really bothers me about these calls is how they specifically target people who depend on food assistance. They know we might panic if we think our benefits are at risk and make quick decisions out of fear. It's so predatory. A few things I've learned that might help others: - Real county workers will have your case number, not ask for your EBT details - Any legitimate issues will show up as written notices in your BenefitsCal account first - If you're ever unsure, just say you'll call back through the main county office number - Check your account online before panicking about any "urgent" phone calls Since you haven't gotten any written notices and your BenefitsCal account looks normal, you can be confident this was definitely a scam. But definitely report it to your county office - they use these reports to warn other recipients about current scam tactics. Thanks for posting this warning to help protect our community!

Isaac, I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago with a $1,600 overpayment and I completely understand that panic feeling! As a single mom of three, I was terrified they'd take away our food assistance entirely. Here's what worked for me: I called right at 8 AM and asked for the "Overpayment Collections" department. When I got through, I was completely honest - "I'm a single parent, here's my monthly budget, and I can realistically afford $40/month without putting my kids at risk." The caseworker was actually really understanding and set up exactly that payment plan. What surprised me was that they PREFERRED the automatic bank payment over taking it from my benefits because it meant we kept our full food assistance each month while still resolving the debt. A few things that really helped: - I had all my expenses written down (rent, utilities, childcare, everything) - I asked about "financial hardship consideration" which reduced my total owed by about $300 - I requested everything in writing before making any payments - I mentioned that I had tried calling my caseworker multiple times when my income changed but couldn't get through The whole process took about 10 business days to finalize, and honestly it was such a relief compared to what I was imagining. You're being smart by planning ahead and asking for advice - that proactive approach makes all the difference. You've got this! Single parents have to stick together, and this community clearly shows how much support is available when you know where to look.

Hey Isaac, I just went through almost the exact same thing a few months ago - $1,950 overpayment as a single mom with two kids, and I was absolutely terrified! Reading through all these responses brings back memories of how overwhelming it felt at first. I want to add one more thing that really helped me: when you call tomorrow, ask specifically about "Administrative Error" vs "Inadvertent Household Error" classification. If ANY part of the overpayment was due to unclear communication from your caseworker or system errors on their end, you might be able to get it reclassified, which can significantly reduce what you owe. In my case, I was able to show that my caseworker gave me conflicting information about reporting requirements during my recertification interview, and they ended up reducing my overpayment from $1,950 to $1,100. Combined with a hardship determination, I'm now paying just $35/month and keeping my full benefits. Also, don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor if the first person you talk to isn't helpful or seems rushed. I had to do this, and the supervisor was much more knowledgeable about all the options available. You're going to get through this! The hardest part is that first phone call, but once you start the conversation, you'll realize there are way more options than that scary notice makes it seem. This community is proof that so many of us have been where you are and found solutions. Keep us posted on how it goes - we're all rooting for you!

Just wanted to add my recent experience since this thread has been so helpful! I went through this process last week and want to emphasize something that wasn't mentioned yet - if you're receiving any kind of assistance from charities, food banks, or churches, you should probably mention that too in your statement. I initially didn't think to include that I get meals from a local food pantry twice a month, but my worker asked about it during the interview. It didn't disqualify me (food assistance isn't counted as income), but she said it was good that I mentioned it because it showed how I was supplementing my food needs. Also, if you have any documentation like bank statements showing your savings balance, it can help support your claim that you're living off savings rather than unreported income. The whole process took about 2 weeks from when I submitted my statement to approval.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Based on everyone's advice, I just finished writing my no income statement. I made sure to include my case number, explicitly state I have no income from any source, explain that I'm living off savings while job searching, detail how my roommate is helping with rent but I cover my own food/personal expenses, and be very specific about covering phone, transportation, etc. One thing I'm still nervous about - should I mention the approximate dollar amount of my savings or keep it vague? I don't want them to think I have "too much" money but I also want to be transparent. Has anyone had experience with whether mentioning specific savings amounts helped or hurt their application?

As a new community member who just joined after struggling with my own P-EBT activation issues, I can't express how valuable this thread has been! I've been trying to activate my card for almost two weeks and was getting so discouraged until I found this incredible resource. Reading through @Anastasia Popov's journey from frustration to resolution, plus all the specific solutions everyone has shared, gives me real hope that this is solvable. I had no idea there were so many potential data mismatch issues - wrong birthdates, name variations, address changes, birth year typos, even different date formats! It's mind-blowing that the P-EBT system has such poor data integration with school records, but at least this community has figured out how to navigate around these problems. I'm definitely calling that dedicated P-EBT hotline (1-877-328-9677) at 8 AM tomorrow armed with all the variations mentioned here: my kids' birthdates, my maiden name, our previous zip code, different date formats, and I'll even double-check for potential typos in birth years. The tip about keeping a detailed log is brilliant - I'm starting that today so I can be prepared when I finally reach a representative. Thank you to everyone who shared their specific solutions and turned this systemic failure into actionable steps. It's frustrating that accessing food benefits for our children requires detective work, but this community support makes it feel manageable. This thread should honestly be required reading for every P-EBT recipient! I'll update once I hopefully get through to someone.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this thread! I'm currently dealing with my own P-EBT activation issues and was starting to feel like I was going crazy trying to figure out what's wrong. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it's clear this is a widespread systemic problem, not something I'm doing wrong. The comprehensive troubleshooting guide that's developed organically in this thread is amazing. I had no idea there were so many potential data mismatch issues that could prevent activation: using child's birthdate instead of parent's, maiden name vs married name discrepancies, old zip codes from previous addresses, typos in birth years in school records, and even different date format requirements. It's honestly shocking how many ways the P-EBT database integration can fail! I'm planning to call the dedicated P-EBT hotline at 1-877-328-9677 first thing at 8 AM tomorrow (thanks for that timing tip!) with all possible variations ready. I'll have my kids' birthdates, my maiden name, our old address from when we first enrolled, and I'll try different date formats. The advice about keeping a detailed log of attempts is brilliant - I wish I had started that from the beginning. It's frustrating that we have to become database detectives just to access food benefits our children deserve, but this community has turned a broken system into manageable solutions. Thank you especially to @Anastasia Popov for sharing your complete journey and to everyone who contributed specific workarounds. This thread is honestly more helpful than anything the official P-EBT system provides! I'll definitely update once I hopefully get this resolved.