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This has become such an incredible resource thread! As someone who's been on CalFresh for about 8 months, I wish I'd found this community sooner. The washing machine casualty stories are both hilarious and terrifying - I'm definitely being way more careful with my card placement now! 😅 What strikes me most is how Isabella's simple question created this amazing chain of knowledge sharing. From basic timelines to emergency resources like 211, the EBT Edge app tricks, emergency issuance options at county offices, and even preventive tips like photographing your card - this covers literally everything. I've learned more from this one thread than from months of navigating the system on my own. The community support here is genuinely heartwarming. Definitely saving this as my go-to reference and sharing with other CalFresh recipients I know. Thanks everyone for creating such a comprehensive and supportive guide!
I just joined this community yesterday after getting approved for CalFresh and this thread is absolutely mind-blowing! I can't believe how much valuable information came out of Isabella's washing machine mishap 😂 The fact that this started as a simple "when will my card arrive" question and turned into basically the ultimate EBT survival guide is incredible. I'm definitely photographing my card right now and making a mental note about the washing machine danger - who knew that was such a common way to lose cards! The 211 emergency food resource is something I never would have known about, and the tip about potentially different PINs on replacement cards could have saved me a lot of frustration down the road. This community is amazing - everyone jumping in with their experiences and practical advice makes navigating this system feel so much less overwhelming for someone just starting out. Thank you to everyone for creating such a supportive space!
Wow, reading through this entire thread has been absolutely incredible! I'm brand new to CalFresh (literally just got my first card in the mail this week) and stumbled across this while researching what to do if something goes wrong with my card. Isabella's washing machine mishap has turned into what's basically the most comprehensive EBT replacement guide I've ever seen! 😅 I had no idea about so many of these things - the washing machine danger (definitely keeping my card far away from laundry now!), the 211 emergency food hotline, the EBT Edge app for checking balances, the possibility of PINs changing on replacement cards, emergency issuance options at county offices, and even simple things like photographing your card and saving reference numbers. This thread covers literally everything I could think of and more. What really strikes me is how supportive and knowledgeable this community is. Seeing everyone jump in with their real experiences, professional insights, and practical tips makes navigating the CalFresh system feel so much less intimidating for newcomers like me. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread as my emergency reference guide and will be sharing it with other people I know who are new to CalFresh. Thank you Isabella for asking the original question, and thank you everyone for turning it into such an amazing community resource! This is exactly why online communities can be so powerful.
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This whole conversation has been so enlightening! I'm a new CalFresh recipient from Imperial County and had absolutely no idea about Museums for All until reading through all these amazing responses. My 5 and 8-year-old are fascinated by ocean animals and I've been wanting to take them somewhere educational like an aquarium, but the costs always seemed impossible on our budget. Learning that we can visit Cal Academy for just $3 per person with our EBT card is honestly bringing tears to my eyes - this means I can actually give my kids the kind of educational experiences I've always wanted to provide but couldn't afford. Reading about everyone's successful visits from different counties gives me so much confidence that our card will work there too. I'm already planning our trip and looking up other Museums for All participants in Southern California. Thank you Lorenzo for asking this question and thank you to everyone who shared such detailed experiences and helpful tips. This community has literally changed what's possible for my family - my kids are going to be so excited when I tell them we can finally visit a real aquarium! You've all given me hope that being on CalFresh doesn't mean my children have to miss out on these incredible learning opportunities.
Carmen, your comment brought tears to my eyes too! As someone who's been on CalFresh for a while now, I completely understand that feeling of wanting to give your kids amazing experiences but feeling limited by budget. The aquarium section at Cal Academy is absolutely magical - your 5 and 8-year-old are going to be mesmerized by the massive tanks with sharks, rays, and colorful tropical fish. There's also this incredible coral reef exhibit that looks like something out of a nature documentary. Since you're coming all the way from Imperial County, I'd definitely suggest making it a full day and maybe even looking into some of the other SF museums mentioned in this thread like the Exploratorium. The fact that Museums for All exists shows that there are people who understand that every child deserves access to these incredible learning experiences regardless of their family's financial situation. Your kids are so lucky to have a mom who's actively seeking out these opportunities for them. Welcome to this amazing community - you'll find so much support and knowledge here about benefits and programs we never knew existed!
This thread has been absolutely amazing to read! I'm a CalFresh recipient from Humboldt County and I honestly had no clue about Museums for All until seeing this conversation. My 9-year-old daughter is obsessed with astronomy and space, and I've been wanting to take her to a real planetarium but the costs always seemed way out of reach. Learning that we can get $3 admission to Cal Academy with our EBT card is incredible - that planetarium everyone keeps mentioning sounds perfect for her! Reading all these success stories from families across different counties gives me so much confidence that our rural county EBT card will work there just fine. I'm already looking at making the drive down from Eureka and planning it as a special educational weekend trip. Thank you Lorenzo for asking this question and thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed tips about timing, what to bring, and other participating museums. This community has opened my eyes to so many opportunities I never knew existed - my daughter is going to be over the moon when I tell her we can finally visit a real planetarium and see those space shows she's always dreamed about!
Max, your daughter is going to absolutely love the planetarium at Cal Academy! As someone who's visited multiple times with my kids, I can tell you the space shows are truly spectacular - they have this incredible dome theater that makes you feel like you're actually traveling through the solar system. The astronomy exhibits are amazing too, with interactive displays about planets, stars, and space exploration that are perfect for curious 9-year-olds. Since you're making the drive all the way from Eureka, I'd definitely recommend calling ahead to check the planetarium show schedule and maybe even planning to stay overnight to make the most of your trip. You could easily do Cal Academy one day and maybe hit the Exploratorium the next day (they also accept EBT for $3 admission and have incredible hands-on science exhibits). Don't worry at all about your rural county card - the Museums for All program is truly nationwide and your Humboldt County EBT card will work perfectly. Your dedication to giving your daughter these educational experiences is so inspiring, and I have a feeling this trip might spark an even deeper love of astronomy that could shape her future interests!
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This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm new to CalFresh and had no idea there was such a big difference between the EBT customer service line and the actual county offices. I've been lucky not to have card issues yet, but reading through everyone's experiences has given me a great roadmap for what to do if problems come up. The tips about calling county offices right when they open, having all your documentation ready, and even reaching out to state representatives if needed are so valuable. I'm bookmarking this thread and saving all those phone numbers and resources people shared. It's really amazing how this community comes together to help each other navigate such a complicated system. Special thanks to everyone who shared specific county numbers, timing strategies, and alternative resources like 211 and benefits navigators. Having this knowledge ahead of time could save someone days of frustration when they're already stressed about food access. This is exactly the kind of practical, real-world advice that makes these communities so valuable!
Welcome to CalFresh and this community! You're so smart to read through all these experiences and save the resources for future reference. I wish I had known about the difference between the EBT customer service line and county offices when I first started - it would have saved me so much confusion. The fact that you're being proactive about understanding the system before you run into problems is really wise. Hopefully you never need to use any of these tips, but if you do, you'll be way ahead of where most of us were when we first encountered issues. This thread really shows how much we can help each other by sharing our real experiences with navigating these complex benefit systems!
This entire thread is such a valuable resource! I've been dealing with CalFresh for about 6 months now and I had no idea about most of these tips. The distinction between the EBT customer service line and county offices is huge - I've definitely been calling the wrong number when I've had issues. I especially appreciate all the specific timing advice (8:01 AM on Mondays, trying lunch hours, etc.) and the alternative resources like 211, benefits navigators, and even contacting state representatives. The tip about checking the EBT Edge app for alerts is something I'm going to do right now! It's really encouraging to see how helpful people are here and how many different solutions exist when the obvious paths don't work. Saving this whole thread for future reference - thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences and practical solutions!
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UPDATE: My benefits just got loaded this morning! It took exactly 3 business days after approval. Thank you everyone for your help and advice. I'm so relieved to be able to get groceries for my kids today.
That's awesome! So glad to hear it worked out quickly for you. Make sure you're careful with that new card - I started only using mine at major grocery stores after my skimming incident.
Great news! For future reference (and anyone else reading this thread), I recommend setting up EBT text alerts through the ConnectEBT app or website so you get notified immediately when benefits are loaded or when transactions occur. This helps you catch unauthorized use quickly.
So happy to see your update! Three business days is pretty typical from what I've seen. For anyone else dealing with EBT skimming, here are some tips that helped me after my card got hit: 1. Always cover your PIN when entering it - skimmers sometimes have tiny cameras 2. Check your balance regularly through the app so you catch fraud early 3. Use your card at busy, well-lit locations when possible 4. If a card reader looks loose or different, don't use it The whole experience is so stressful when you have kids to feed. Glad you got through it quickly and can get groceries again!
Thanks for sharing those safety tips! I'm definitely going to be more careful about covering my PIN now. I never thought about the tiny cameras - that's terrifying. Do you know if there are certain stores or ATMs that are more likely to have skimmers? I want to avoid high-risk places if possible.
Louisa Ramirez
I'm new to this community but unfortunately joining because I just received a CalFresh overpayment notice from 2017 for $1,650. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and honestly pretty scary - I had no idea they could come after you after so many years! @Isaiah Sanders I'm really sorry you're dealing with a 10-year-old claim, that's just insane. The advice everyone has given about requesting all documentation and demanding proof of collection attempts is exactly what I needed to hear. I was about to panic and just set up a payment plan, but now I realize I should fight this first. Like several others mentioned, I've also moved since 2017 and kept my address updated with other county services, so if they claim they've been trying to contact me all these years, I want to see proof. It's really disturbing how many people are suddenly getting these old claims - definitely seems like some kind of mass collection effort. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating this confusing and stressful situation!
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Madeline Blaze
•Welcome to the community, and I'm sorry you're dealing with this too! It's really alarming how many of us are getting hit with these old overpayment claims all at once. Your instinct to fight it first before agreeing to a payment plan is absolutely right - don't let them pressure you into paying without seeing all their documentation first. The fact that you've moved and kept your address updated with other services is exactly the kind of procedural issue that could work in your favor. Make sure to request proof of every single collection attempt they claim to have made over the past 7 years. If they can't provide that documentation, you might have grounds to get this dismissed entirely. @Isaiah Sanders I hope your case is going well - your experience has really helped all of us newcomers understand what we re'up against. Keep us posted on how your documentation requests turn out!
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Micah Trail
I'm also new to this community and unfortunately dealing with a similar nightmare - just got hit with a CalFresh overpayment claim from 2016 for $2,100! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly validating but also really infuriating. It's clear this is happening to tons of people right now, which makes me think there's definitely some kind of mass collection sweep going on. @Isaiah Sanders, a 10-year-old claim is absolutely outrageous - I can't believe they can legally do that! Following all the advice here, I immediately called and requested all their documentation, proof of collection attempts, and an administrative hearing form. The worker seemed genuinely surprised that I knew to ask for these things, which tells me most people probably just pay without knowing their rights. What really gets me is that I've been getting other county notices just fine at my current address, but they claim they couldn't reach me about this overpayment for 8 years? That doesn't add up at all. Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences - without this community I would have just panicked and set up a payment plan without understanding my options!
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Asher Levin
•Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and it's honestly shocking to see how many people are suddenly dealing with these ancient overpayment claims. Your experience with the worker being surprised that you knew what to ask for really highlights the problem - they're clearly counting on people not knowing their rights. The fact that you've been receiving other county notices just fine but they claim they couldn't reach you about this for 8 years is a huge red flag that could really help your case. That's exactly the kind of procedural failure that @Aidan Percy and others have mentioned can get these claims dismissed. Make sure to document that discrepancy when you request your hearing! It s'so important that communities like this exist to share information because otherwise we d'all be navigating this nightmare alone. @Isaiah Sanders I m also'following your case - your situation really opened my eyes to how far back they can reach. Keep fighting everyone!
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