Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Keisha Brown
This whole thread is so helpful! I'm new to both CalFresh and CalWORKs and honestly had no idea they were separate programs on the same card. Reading about everyone's experiences with missed forms and documentation is eye-opening - it sounds like the system really doesn't make it easy to stay on top of everything. I'm going to start opening ALL my mail from the county now, even if it looks like junk. Connor, I hope your benefits get sorted out quickly! It's really stressful when you're counting on that money and it just doesn't show up. Thanks to everyone sharing their tips about keeping copies and getting receipts - I'm definitely going to remember that for when I need to submit my next round of paperwork.
Aiden Chen
•Welcome to the programs! You're absolutely right that the system can be confusing at first. One thing that really helped me when I started was creating a simple calendar reminder for myself to check for mail every few days - I used to let it pile up and then panic when I realized something important might be in there. Also, if you haven't already, I'd recommend calling the EBT customer service line just to get familiar with how to check your balances and transaction history. The number is on the back of your card and it's really helpful for keeping track of when benefits are deposited and making sure everything looks normal each month. Good luck with everything!
This is such a valuable thread for anyone dealing with benefit issues! I'm glad you figured out what happened, Connor. Your experience really highlights how important it is to carefully review ALL mail from the county - I know it can feel overwhelming when they send so many different notices, but missing even one form can have such big consequences. For anyone reading this who might be in a similar situation, I'd also suggest setting up a simple filing system at home for benefit-related paperwork. I use just two folders - one for "action needed" and one for "completed/filed" - and it's helped me stay more organized. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops, but sharing experiences like this really helps the community navigate the system better. Hope your reinstatement goes smoothly!
Join the conversation
btw if u ever need emergency food before ur benefits come the food banks dont ask questions. saved me last month when my car broke down and i had to use grocery $$ for repairs
Yara Haddad
•That's really good to know - thank you! Is there a way to find local food banks?
yea google 'food bank' plus ur city or call 211 they can tell u whats nearby
Isaac Wright
Welcome to CalFresh! 🎉 Just want to add that you can also check your balance anytime by calling the number on the back of your EBT card or going to www.ebt.ca.gov - super helpful when you're at the store and not sure how much you have left. Also, don't stress if your first deposit seems to take forever - I remember checking my card like 50 times on my first deposit day lol. The anticipation is real! You've got this! 💪
Ezra Beard
•Thank you so much! I definitely relate to checking the card multiple times 😅 I've already bookmarked the ebt.ca.gov site and downloaded the app someone else mentioned. This community is so helpful - I was really nervous about navigating all this but everyone's been so welcoming and informative!
Join the conversation
Emma Johnson
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the county office! They explained that I need to take my average weekly income ($525) and multiply by 4.33 which gives $2,273.25 monthly instead of $2,100 that I had calculated. They're sending me a new SAR7 form to fill out with the correct calculation. The worker also told me to include my childcare expenses which I didn't know could be deducted ($850/month for my two kids). Hopefully this will keep us eligible even with the higher income calculation. Thanks everyone for your help!
Great update! Yes, childcare expenses are a major deduction that many people don't know about. For anyone else reading this in the future, other important deductions include: rent/mortgage, property taxes, home insurance, utilities (or the standard utility allowance), and medical expenses over $35 for elderly or disabled household members. Always report these on your CalFresh recertification to maximize your benefits!
So glad you got through to someone and figured out the childcare deduction! That $850/month deduction should definitely help offset the higher income from using 4.33. Just a heads up - when you get that new SAR7 form, double-check that they also applied the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) if you pay any utilities at all. Even if you only pay electric or gas, you can claim the full SUA which is $532 in California for 2025. Between the childcare and utility deductions, you should still qualify for good benefits even with the corrected income calculation. Keep all your documentation just in case!
This is such helpful information! I'm new to CalFresh and had no idea about all these deductions. Can someone explain what counts as "utilities" for the Standard Utility Allowance? I pay electric and internet but my landlord covers water and gas - would I still qualify for the full $532 SUA? Also, does anyone know if there's a list somewhere of all possible deductions so I don't miss anything when I apply?
Join the conversation
Nia Williams
As a new member here, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! @Jasmine Quinn, I'm so glad you were able to get your card reactivated - what a relief that must have been! The data matching issue with your old employer really shows how these automated systems can create problems out of nowhere. I'm bookmarking Claimyr for sure after seeing how well it worked for you. It's honestly shocking that these random card deactivations are so common, but it's reassuring to see there are real solutions when you know where to look. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these complex systems so much easier!
Hi @Nia Williams! I'm also brand new to this community and have been reading through this entire thread with fascination. Like everyone else, I had no idea these kinds of random EBT card deactivations were so common! @Jasmine Quinn s'experience with the old employer data match is really eye-opening - it makes me worried about what random flags might be lurking in my own file. I m'definitely going to save the Claimyr link that @Anthony Young shared. It s amazing'how this one thread has turned into such a comprehensive resource for dealing with CalFresh system issues. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and solutions - as someone just getting started with these benefits, this kind of community knowledge is invaluable!
Wow, what a journey this thread has been to read through! As someone completely new to both CalFresh and this community, I'm honestly blown away by how supportive everyone has been. @Jasmine Quinn, I'm so relieved you got your card working again - the stress of having your benefits suddenly cut off with kids to feed must have been overwhelming. The fact that it was caused by a data match with an employer from over a year ago really highlights how these automated systems can create chaos from the smallest discrepancies. I had absolutely no idea that services like Claimyr existed until @Anthony Young mentioned it - that's going straight into my emergency toolkit! Reading through everyone's experiences has been both alarming (these random deactivations seem way too common) and reassuring (there are real solutions when you know where to look). Thank you to this entire community for sharing your knowledge and supporting each other through these frustrating system glitches. This thread is going to be a lifesaver for anyone who faces similar issues in the future!
Paolo Ricci
•Hi @Miguel Herrera! I just joined this community too and have been reading through this whole thread - it's been such an education! Like you, I'm completely new to CalFresh and had no clue these random card deactivations were even a thing. @Jasmine Quinn s'story really shows how quickly things can go wrong through no fault of your own - that old employer data match is terrifying to think about. I m'definitely saving all the resources people have shared here, especially Claimyr since @Anthony Young s recommendation'seems to have been the game-changer. It s both'scary and comforting to know that while these system glitches happen frequently, there are people in this community who ve figured'out how to navigate them. Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing their experiences - as newcomers, we re really'lucky to have found such a supportive group!
Hannah White
This is exactly why I always keep a written record of my balance after each grocery trip! I learned this trick from my mom who's been on benefits for years. I write down the remaining balance on the receipt or in my phone notes so I have a rough idea even when the system goes down. Obviously it's not perfect since pending transactions can affect it, but it's helped me avoid those embarrassing moments at checkout. Also, pro tip: some smaller independent grocery stores are more flexible about letting you know if your card gets declined before running the full transaction - they'll often let you remove items if needed.
0 coins
Mei Liu
•That's such a smart idea about keeping track of your balance manually! I wish I had thought of that before today's mess. I'm definitely going to start doing this - maybe I'll even create a simple spreadsheet to track my spending and remaining balance. Your mom sounds like she's got this system figured out! And thanks for the tip about smaller stores being more flexible. I usually shop at the big chains but maybe I should check out some local places too. It's so helpful when staff are understanding about these situations instead of making you feel bad about using benefits.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
Just went through this same nightmare yesterday! The system was down for almost 6 hours in my area (San Bernardino County). What helped me was going to a smaller grocery store where the cashier was really understanding - she let me try my card first with just a few items to test if it would go through before I loaded up my whole cart. Turns out the actual payment processing was working fine even though I couldn't check my balance. Also learned that some 7-Elevens have EBT balance check on their ATMs that sometimes work even when the main system is having issues. Definitely keeping a written log of my balance from now on after reading Hannah's advice - such a simple but brilliant solution!
0 coins
NeonNebula
•That's such a great approach with testing a small purchase first! I never thought of doing that but it makes total sense - way better than loading up a full cart and then finding out your card doesn't work. And thanks for the tip about 7-Eleven ATMs potentially working during outages, I'll definitely remember that. It's so refreshing to hear about cashiers and store staff who are understanding about EBT issues instead of making us feel embarrassed. This whole thread has been super helpful - I feel like I learned more practical tips here than I ever got from any official sources!
0 coins