o ya forgot 2 say mandela foods coop in west oakland does somthing similar 2. not sure if its the same program but they give u extra $ 4 veggies when u use ebt

This thread has been so helpful! I'm actually a new CalFresh recipient myself (just got approved two weeks ago) and had no idea about any of these programs. I'm in Sacramento but travel to the Bay Area sometimes for my job. Does anyone know if Sacramento has similar Market Match programs? I'd love to stretch my benefits further, especially since I'm trying to eat healthier. Also wondering - do these programs work the same way everywhere or are there different rules depending on the county? Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for newcomers like me who are still learning how to navigate all these resources!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! This happened to my sister last year - the website lag is real and frustrating. Since you've already uploaded your paystubs to BenefitsCal, make sure you also check your "Messages" section in the portal to see if there are any pending requests you might have missed. Sometimes they show up there even if the physical mail got lost. Also, when you call Tuesday, have your case number ready and ask specifically about "good cause" for late verification - if you truly never received the original request, that could help your case. The fact that you uploaded everything as soon as you found out shows good faith effort. Don't give up hope - I've seen people get their benefits restored within a few days once they get through to the right person!

Don't beat yourself up about missing the message in the portal - that Messages section is really easy to overlook and the system doesn't send email notifications when new requests are posted there. The important thing is that you found it now and took action immediately. When you call Tuesday, definitely mention that the message was buried in the portal without any email alert, as this shows the communication breakdown wasn't entirely on your end. Also, since you found the original request was from 6 weeks ago, you'll want to provide pay stubs covering that entire period up to now to show your income situation. Keep all your screenshots and documentation ready - having everything organized will help speed up the restoration process. You're being a great advocate for your family by staying on top of this! 💪

After reading through this entire thread, I want to emphasize something important: If you believe your personal information has been compromised across multiple benefits programs (CalFresh, LifeLine, etc.), you should also consider placing a freeze on your credit reports with the major credit bureaus. Identity thieves who target government benefits often attempt to use the same personal information for other types of fraud. A credit freeze provides an extra layer of protection against identity theft beyond your benefits. Regarding the timing of benefit replacement - under California regulations, counties should process EBT theft claims within 10 days of receiving all required documentation. If your claim has been pending longer than this, escalation to a supervisor is appropriate.

I've been following this thread closely and want to share some additional resources that might help everyone dealing with EBT theft. First, there's actually a dedicated California EBT fraud reporting website at ebtfraud.ca.gov where you can report suspicious store activities like photographing cards. This goes directly to the state's investigation unit. Second, for those struggling with long wait times for benefit replacement - you may be eligible for emergency food assistance through your county while your theft claim is being processed. Ask specifically about "expedited replacement benefits" when you call. Regarding the government phone connection - while there's no proven direct link, I've noticed that scammers often use data from breaches of companies that serve low-income populations to target multiple benefit programs simultaneously. So it's possible that's what's happening here rather than the phones themselves being compromised. Most importantly - NEVER let ANY store employee take your card out of your sight or photograph it. That's not legitimate anywhere and is a huge red flag for card skimming operations. Stay vigilant everyone, and don't give up on getting your stolen benefits replaced. You're entitled to them!

I had a similar issue last month. Turns out my benefits got messed up cuz I moved and forgot to update my address. Make sure all your info is current!

I've been dealing with Medi-Cal for years and here's what works for me: try the automated phone system first - sometimes you can get basic benefit status without talking to anyone. Press 1 for English, then follow the prompts for "benefit information." If that doesn't work, the 211 helpline (just dial 2-1-1) can sometimes help navigate the system or connect you to local resources. They're usually more helpful than the main Medi-Cal line!

I'm so relieved to see this thread! I'm new to CalFresh and when my card got declined at Safeway this morning, I thought I'd somehow messed up my application or that my benefits had been canceled. I spent hours on the phone trying to reach someone and was getting ready to take time off work tomorrow to go to the county office. Reading everyone's experiences here saved me so much stress and wasted time. It's really helpful to know that system outages like this do happen occasionally and that the cards usually work again once the technical issues are resolved. Thanks to everyone who shared updates and tips - this community is amazing for navigating these situations!

This is exactly why I always keep the EBT customer service number saved in my phone and screenshot my balance whenever I check it! Had a similar scare about 6 months ago where my card wasn't working at Target, and I was convinced my benefits had been cut off. Turned out to be a much smaller system glitch that lasted only a few hours, but the stress was unreal. For anyone new to CalFresh - system outages like this are thankfully pretty rare, but when they happen they can affect the whole state. The key things to remember: don't panic, don't keep trying to log in (you'll lock yourself out), and check online communities like this one to see if others are having the same issue. Usually means it's a technical problem, not something wrong with your account. Also, definitely save some local food bank numbers in your phone for emergencies like this - most don't require paperwork and can help bridge the gap during these outages.