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let us know what happens!! i always get nervous around reporting time cuz one mistake and boom no food
UPDATE: I used that Claimyr service someone recommended to reach a worker, and they confirmed my case was discontinued due to the missing SAR7. Good news though - they received the one I submitted yesterday and said they'll process it as a restoration within 3 business days! They also said they'll add a note to my file to send me text reminders for future SAR7 deadlines since I mentioned missing the notice. So relieved this is getting fixed!
MAKE SURE to screenshot the confirmation that you submitted it!!! Don't trust them when they say they got it. I always take pictures of everything I submit with dates and times so they can't claim I didn't do it.
For your immediate food needs while waiting for this to be resolved, please contact your local food bank. You can find the nearest one by texting your zip code to 898-211. Many food banks have emergency provisions specifically for situations like yours where CalFresh benefits are temporarily unavailable. Also, check if your children's school offers free meal programs that might help in the interim.
Just to follow up - once you get your new card, I strongly recommend enabling account alerts. You can set up text or email notifications for all transactions, low balance alerts, and even deposit notifications. This way you'll know immediately if there's suspicious activity in the future. You can set this up through the EBT cardholder portal or by calling customer service.
P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer) and CalFresh are different programs, though they both provide food benefits on EBT cards. P-EBT was initially created during the COVID pandemic and has been extended for the 2024-2025 school year. It provides food benefits to families with children who would receive free or reduced-price school meals. \n\nCalFresh is California's ongoing food assistance program (formerly known as food stamps) for low-income individuals and families.\n\nSo the card you received is specifically for P-EBT benefits, not regular CalFresh, even though they look similar. You can use both types of benefits at the same stores to buy eligible food items.
Thanks everyone for clearing this up! Sounds like my neighbor definitely got confused between the regular COLA increase and something COVID-related. I'll let her know so she doesn't keep spreading incorrect info. Even a small increase will help though - groceries have gotten so expensive this year.
Good idea to correct the misinformation. And you're right - even small increases help with today's food prices. If your circumstances have changed significantly (income decrease, new household member, higher housing costs), you can always report those changes to potentially increase your benefits beyond just the COLA adjustment.
Monique Byrd
Thanks for updating! Did you have to wait long to get through? I still can't reach anyone.
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Teresa Boyd
I called right when they opened at 8am and still waited about 45 minutes. The recording kept saying I could leave a callback number but that option never actually came up during the menu choices.
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