THEY BETTER NOT SEND NEW CARDS!!!! I've kept every P-EBT card since the program started and they've ALWAYS loaded the new benefits on the original card. If they suddenly change this policy without proper notification, thousands of families will miss out on benefits they're entitled to. The state is already doing a terrible job communicating about this program. My daughter's school never even sent out the email about 2025 eligibility - I only found out through a Facebook group for parents!

Just to clarify some confusion I'm seeing in this thread: 1. For P-EBT 2025, they will attempt to load benefits on existing cards first 2. New cards are only issued if: - Your previous card is reported lost/stolen - Your card has been inactive for 365+ days - Your address has changed and been updated in the system - You're new to the program entirely The P-EBT and CalFresh cards look different (P-EBT is white with a blue stripe, CalFresh is the golden State of California design), but they're both managed through the same EBT contractor and customer service system. P-EBT benefits for 2025 are being issued between April-June depending on your county and school district. Some counties are receiving benefits in waves based on the first letter of the child's last name. If you need to update your address or report a lost card, calling the EBT Customer Service number is correct (though as others have mentioned, wait times can be extremely long).

Emergency allotments are gone BUT what might be happening is the quarterly adjustment for the utility allowance that affects some households. February is when the seasonal utility allowance changes for certain households using the SUA or LUA deductions. So some people DO see small benefit increases this month if they're in households where heating costs changed significantly. Check your last SAR7 to see if you get either SUA (Standard Utility Allowance) or LUA (Limited Utility Allowance) deductions. If your worker calculated a change, it might show up as a separate deposit.

Just to add some clarity here: CalFresh has returned to normal operations with no emergency supplements currently authorized for February 2025 in any California county. However, there are three legitimate ways you might see adjustments to your benefits this month: 1. Utility Allowance Adjustment (as someone mentioned) 2. Retroactive corrections if your income was previously calculated incorrectly 3. Restoration of benefits if you had a successful appeal The best way to check is by using the BenefitsCal mobile app or website, which will show any pending deposits to your EBT account, or by calling the EBT customer service line at 877-328-9677 to check your balance and pending deposits.

This whole P-EBT thing is SO CONFUSING!!! Last year they said my kids qualified, then we never got cards, then they said we didn't qualify, then 6 months later random cards showed up in the mail!!! The government needs to make this WAYYY more clear instead of leaving parents guessing about whether they'll get help feeding their kids!!

Just to clarify some confusion I'm seeing in this thread: 1. P-EBT eligibility is determined at both the SCHOOL level and the STUDENT level 2. For 2025, schools must participate in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program 3. Students must either qualify for free/reduced meals individually OR attend a school that uses CEP/Provision 2 4. Not all students at a qualifying school will receive P-EBT (unless it's a CEP school) The reason there's no public list is that eligibility can change throughout the year as schools update their participation status and as students' meal eligibility changes. Your school nutrition department will have the most up-to-date information.

With that specific information, I can now provide a more informed response. If you're seeing two separate CalFresh deposits of different amounts, here are the most likely explanations: 1. Supplemental benefits for a specific county program (some counties have additional food assistance) 2. Correction for previous underpayments being distributed monthly 3. Split issuance due to a case specific situation 4. You may have two separate CalFresh cases (rare but possible if household members were split and later rejoined) You absolutely need to contact your county office for clarification. If this second payment isn't permanent, you need to know before it stops. When you file your next SAR7 or recertification, this might trigger a review that could end the second payment if it's not supposed to be continuing.

dont freak out too much, i bet its just back benefits they owe u for something... my friend got extra payments for like 6 months cuz they miscalculated her childcare deduction and had to pay her back slowly... just make sure when u talk to ur worker u ask how long it will last so u can budget!!

I didn't know about this program for months either. And when I did find out it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to use because the only farmers market near me with the match program was only open Tuesdays from 10-2pm when I'm at work! So frustrating. Like they design these programs to help but make them so hard to actually use.

One more important thing to note: The incentive program (whatever it's called in your area) has a monthly cap - usually between $25-$60 depending on your household size. So for example, if your household gets a maximum of $40 in matching funds per month, and you spend $50 on fruits and vegetables at a participating market, you'd only get $40 in additional benefits, not the full $50. The match resets at the beginning of each benefit month. Also, the match only applies to fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables without added sugar, fat, or salt - not other items you might buy with your regular CalFresh.