I work at a local community center that helps families navigate benefit programs, and I see this situation pretty regularly. A few things that might help while you're dealing with the replacement: 1. Some grocery stores will let you do a "manual voucher" transaction if you can provide proof that you have P-EBT benefits but lost the card. You'd need documentation showing the benefits were issued to your child. Not all stores do this, but it's worth asking at customer service. 2. If your son's dad is willing to help with the call, sometimes having the custodial parent information ready speeds things up - they may ask about custody arrangements or who's authorized to make changes to the account. 3. For future reference, many parents don't realize you can actually request a second card for the same account (like having one for each household in shared custody situations). Might be worth asking about when you call for the replacement. The 877 number is definitely right, and definitely emphasize that it's P-EBT 3.0 when you call. Good luck - I hope you get through quickly and your son gets his food assistance restored soon!

I just went through this exact same situation two months ago with my daughter's P-EBT 3.0 card! Here's what worked for me: Definitely call 877-328-9677 (that number is correct), but try calling right at 8am when they open - I got through in about 20 minutes versus the 2+ hour waits later in the day. Have everything ready: your son's full name exactly as it appears on school records, DOB, school name, and your current address. One thing that really helped speed up my call - I found the original P-EBT welcome letter in my files which had some reference numbers on it. Not required, but the rep said it made the process much faster. For this weekend, call your son's school Monday morning to ask about their weekend food backpack program if they have one. Also, some grocery stores will do manual voucher transactions if you can show proof of the P-EBT benefits (like old statements or the welcome letter). My replacement card came in exactly 7 business days, and they immediately canceled the old card when I called so no one could use it if they found it. Make sure to ask them to confirm the cancellation! Hang in there - I know how stressful this is when you're counting on those benefits. You'll get through this!

I'm still learning about all these programs myself, but I wanted to share something that might help with the grocery costs while you're getting these benefits sorted out. I've heard from other community members that some areas have "mobile food pantries" that visit different neighborhoods on rotating schedules - these can be really helpful for families with young kids since you don't have to travel to a fixed location. Also, if you're comfortable with it, you might want to connect with other foster families in your area. I've noticed that experienced foster parents often share resources and tips about navigating all these different programs. Your local foster parent association or support group might have members who've already figured out the best combination of benefits for your county. It sounds like you're really thinking through all the options to make sure these kids are well-fed, which is so important. The advice here about WIC and excluding the foster kids from CalFresh seems really solid based on what everyone's shared!

I'm also pretty new to navigating benefit programs, but I wanted to add something that might be helpful while you're getting everything set up. I recently learned that many counties have online pre-screening tools for CalFresh and other benefits - you can get a quick estimate of what you might qualify for before doing the full application. It might help you figure out whether to include or exclude the foster kids from your CalFresh application based on your specific income situation. Also, since you mentioned being new to the foster system, your caseworker or the agency you're working with might have additional resources they haven't mentioned yet. Sometimes they have partnerships with local food banks or know about emergency assistance programs specifically for foster families. You're asking all the right questions and it's clear you really care about providing well for these kids. The combination of WIC for the 4-year-old, potentially CalFresh for yourself, and free school meals for the 7-year-old should definitely help with the grocery costs!

Thanks everyone for your advice! I think I'm going to start changing my PIN quarterly as suggested, and be more careful about where I use my card. I had no idea skimming was such an issue with EBT cards. Going to download the app to monitor my balance too. Really appreciate all the information!

Just wanted to add that if you do decide to change your PIN regularly, try using a pattern or system that makes sense to you so you don't forget it. I use the last 4 digits of the month/year plus a number that corresponds to the season (like 0125-1 for January 2025, winter = 1). This way I can always reconstruct it if I forget, but it's still secure and changes regularly. Also, I've found that grocery stores with newer chip readers tend to be safer than older swipe-only machines. Stay safe everyone!

I'm so relieved to find this thread! I'm pretty new to using CalFresh (just got approved last month) and had the exact same thing happen at the Aldi near me two weeks ago. I was already feeling anxious about using my EBT card for the first time in public, and then when it got declined I was mortified. The cashier kept trying to swipe it and other customers in line were getting impatient. I ended up just leaving without buying anything and went home feeling like I had done something wrong with my application. Reading everyone's experiences here makes me realize it wasn't my fault at all! Thank you all for sharing - this community has been so welcoming and informative. I'm going to download that CalFresh app to check for the green checkmarks and maybe try that other Aldi location that someone mentioned has the updated system. It's such a relief to know I'm not alone in this!

This whole thread has been such a lifesaver! I've been dealing with the same issue at my local Aldi for about three weeks now. What really gets to me is how the staff sometimes act like it's YOUR fault when the card gets declined - like one cashier actually rolled her eyes and said "maybe you should check your balance" even though I had just checked it on my phone and had over $180 available. It's so frustrating when you're already feeling vulnerable using benefits and then you get treated like you're trying to pull a fast one. I'm definitely going to try that manual entry trick next time, and the credit instead of debit option sounds promising too. Really grateful for everyone sharing their experiences because it makes you realize you're not alone in dealing with this stuff. Can't wait for May 15th when hopefully this will all be resolved!

This is such a great thread to find! I'm currently waiting on my CalFresh decision (applied 2 weeks ago) and had no idea about WINS being separate. This totally explains why some people in other forums mention getting small amounts first before their main benefits. I'm definitely going to save this info so I don't panic if I see a $10 notification before hearing about my regular benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so helpful to hear from both recipients and an actual eligibility worker!

This thread is incredibly valuable! As someone who went through the exact same confusion about 6 months ago, I can totally relate to that panic of thinking $10 was going to be my entire food budget. The lack of clear communication from the system really does cause unnecessary stress during what's already a difficult time for most applicants. One thing I'd add for future readers - if you're in a similar situation and need food immediately while waiting for your EBT card, many food banks and pantries don't require you to already be receiving benefits. They can help bridge the gap while you're waiting for the system to catch up. Also, some grocery stores will let you check your EBT balance by phone even before your physical card arrives if you have the card number from your approval notice. It's so great to see this community helping each other navigate these confusing processes. Posts like this probably save dozens of people from the same worry and confusion!