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They're actually the same program. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the federal name, while CalFresh is California's name for the program. Other states have different names - like FoodShare in Wisconsin or Basic Food in Washington - but they're all referring to the same federal SNAP program.
UPDATE: Wanted to share what happened in case it helps someone else. After 2 weeks of back and forth, I finally got my benefits replaced! Had to complete the CF 303 form, provide a police report case number, and do a phone interview where they asked a bunch of questions about my shopping habits. The investigator said they've seen a huge spike in EBT theft cases and they're finding organized groups targeting certain grocery stores with skimming devices. They approved my claim after seeing that all the fraudulent purchases happened in a 3-hour period at stores 20+ miles from my home while I was at work (I provided a letter from my employer confirming my shift). I'm being super careful now - checking my balance after every purchase, covering the keypad when entering my PIN, and I even started taking my card out of my wallet only when I'm about to use it. Thank you all for your help during one of the scariest financial moments of my life!
quick update - i just saw your reply about income for HUD programs. if you qualify for calfresh you 100% meet the income requirements for emergency housing assistance!! most counties use 200% federal poverty level for crisis housing and calfresh is 130% FPL. so dont worry about that part!!
I wanted to follow up on something important - make sure you're still submitting your SAR7 reports for CalFresh even during this housing crisis. I've seen people lose their food benefits in the middle of a housing emergency because they missed reporting deadlines, which then creates a second crisis. If your SAR7 is due soon, you can list the hotel as your temporary address or write "currently homeless" - but don't skip submitting it. Housing instability is actually a good reason to request expedited processing on any benefit recertifications or updates. Also, ask the county about the "Housing and Disability Advocacy Program" (HDAP) if anyone in your household has a disability, even a temporary one. They have additional resources beyond the standard housing programs that others have mentioned.
my daughter got a pebt but my son didnt even tho there both in middle school?? he qualifies for free lunch too so i dont understand why only one of my kids got it. has this happened to anyone else??
This happened to my sister! Turns out one of her kids was missing from the school's free lunch roster even though they should have been on it. You need to contact your school's food service department or office administrator to verify both kids are properly listed in their system. Sometimes there are data transfer errors between the school and the state system that processes P-EBT.
Just to give some additional clarity: Sometimes when people refer to "extra" benefits, they might be referring to retroactive benefits if there was a delay in processing your application or a change. For example, if you reported a change that would increase your benefits but it took the county a month to process it, you might receive the increase for the current month plus a supplement for the previous month all at once. Has anything like that happened with your case recently?
i just want to say my benefits amount changes slightly sometimes and i never know why lol. i got $432 last month and $447 this month with no explanation. i don't question it anymore, just grateful for whatever helps feed my family. the calfreh system is so confusing sometimes!!
You should always receive a Notice of Action explaining any changes to your benefit amount. If you're seeing unexplained changes, you might want to check if your mailing address is current with the county, or log into BenefitsCal to check for electronic notices. It's important to understand why your benefits change so you can make sure you're receiving the correct amount.
Oliver Cheng
Just to add some perspective - I help families navigate these benefits professionally. The P-EBT distribution is completely separate from CalFresh, though they do use the same EBT card system. P-EBT cards come in a distinctive blue envelope with California state markings and require activation with a PIN you set up. For anyone still waiting, don't panic yet. The Central Valley distribution for 2025 is still ongoing through May. If you haven't received anything by the first week of June, that's when I'd recommend calling the P-EBT hotline (877-328-9677). Make sure your address is current with your child's school, as that's the address they use. If you're struggling with food costs while waiting, consider applying for regular CalFresh benefits, which provide monthly food assistance based on household income. A family of 4 can qualify with gross monthly income up to about $4,100 in 2025.
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Finnegan Gunn
•Thank you! This is really helpful. Do you know if kids who get free lunch through the school's CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) program automatically qualify for P-EBT? Our whole school gets free lunch regardless of income.
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Oliver Cheng
•Yes! Students at CEP schools do automatically qualify for P-EBT. The school should have submitted all student information to the state for processing. That's actually one reason for some of the delays - the massive increase in participating schools through CEP has added several hundred thousand more eligible children to the system compared to previous years.
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Ellie Kim
UPDATE: Our P-EBT cards finally arrived yesterday! Blue envelope just like you all said. Each card has $345 on it for my two kids. Thanks everyone for the help and info. I guess they really are still working through the distribution. For anyone still waiting, hang in there!
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Fiona Sand
•Glad you got them! Make sure you activate them right away and create a PIN. Sometimes they can get deactivated if you wait too long.
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