As someone who's been navigating the CalFresh system while experiencing homelessness, I want to add that it's really important to keep ANY documentation you get about your homeless status - even informal notes from shelter staff or case workers. I learned the hard way that having backup documentation helps if there's ever confusion about your status. Also, if you're staying in different places (shelters some nights, outdoors others), don't worry too much about being super precise in your reporting. The new 2025 rules are designed to be more flexible about this. One thing that helped me was asking my caseworker to put notes in my file about my disability accommodations AND my homeless status at the same time. That way both are documented together and future workers will see it right away. @homelessguy2025 you're doing the right thing by staying on top of this and asking questions. The system can be overwhelming but there are people who want to help make it work for you.

I've been working with homeless CalFresh recipients for about 3 years now, and I want to emphasize something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand the difference between "temporary" and "permanent" homelessness in the new 2025 system. If you've been homeless for over a year like you mentioned, you'll likely qualify for the "chronic homelessness" category which has even more streamlined requirements and potentially higher benefits. This is separate from the shelter/unsheltered distinctions others have talked about. Also, since you mentioned having a reading disability, you should know that the new rules specifically require counties to provide information in accessible formats. Don't hesitate to ask for verbal explanations of ALL written materials - it's your right, not a favor they're doing you. The key thing to remember is that these changes are happening because advocates have been pushing for years to make the system work better for homeless people. The old system was designed assuming everyone had a stable address, which obviously doesn't work for folks in your situation. Keep asking questions and don't let anyone rush you through the process. You deserve to understand what's happening with your benefits.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful responses! I just downloaded the ConnectEBT app and got it set up successfully. Had to try twice because I didn't enter my name exactly as it appears on the card the first time (missed my middle initial). The balance is showing correctly now. I'll check out the Providers app too since it sounds like it has that farmers market feature. Really appreciate all the warnings about scam apps - definitely going to be careful!

Hey Isabella! Welcome to CalFresh! Just wanted to add that if you're planning to shop at farmers markets, you should also look into the Market Match program that Omar mentioned. Many California farmers markets will match your CalFresh spending dollar-for-dollar on fresh fruits and vegetables, so you can get double the produce for your money. You can find participating markets on the Ecology Center website or ask at your local farmers market. It's an amazing way to stretch your benefits and get really fresh, healthy food!

This is absolutely heartbreaking and infuriating. As someone new to this community, I had no idea this kind of internal fraud was happening with CalFresh benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences - the missing funds, the runaround from workers, the impact on families trying to put food on the table - it's clear this goes way beyond just one bad actor. I'm not in Fresno County myself, but this makes me want to check my own EBT transaction history just in case. Are there warning signs we should all be looking for regardless of which county we're in? Things like unexpected benefit reductions, mysterious "system errors," or workers being evasive when we ask questions about our cases? It sounds like the advice here about documenting everything and being persistent is crucial. Thank you to everyone sharing resources and legal information - this community support is exactly what people need when dealing with government agencies that don't always have our backs.

This whole situation is absolutely disgusting. As a single parent relying on CalFresh to feed my two kids, reading about this theft makes me sick to my stomach. I'm not in Fresno County, but I'm definitely going to check my transaction history going back several months now. What really gets me is how the workers dismissed people when they reported discrepancies. "You probably just forgot you spent it"?? Are you kidding me? Those of us on food assistance know EXACTLY where every dollar goes because we have to make it stretch. We don't just "forget" spending $200+ at a grocery store. I've noticed my benefits seemed lower than expected a couple times over the past year, but like others here, I was told it was due to "system calculations" and felt too intimidated to push back. Now I'm realizing I should have been more persistent. Does anyone know if there's a way to request an audit of your case worker's activity? I want to see if the same person has been handling my renewals and recertifications, and if there are any unexplained changes to my file. This fraud case proves that having system access doesn't mean someone is trustworthy. Thank you to everyone sharing resources and legal advice here. We need to stick together and hold these agencies accountable when they fail to protect our benefits.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I just got approved for CalFresh last month and honestly had no clue about any of these security features. Reading about everyone's experiences with card skimming is making me realize how naive I've been - I've been using my card everywhere without a second thought. The fact that they can just remove security features without telling anyone is really scary, especially for those of us who are new to the system and don't know what we're missing. I'm going to change my PIN today and start checking my balance daily like everyone's recommending. It's frustrating that we have to rely on community forums like this to get basic information about protecting our benefits. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and looking out for each other - this is exactly the kind of support new recipients need!

I'm new to CalFresh and just discovered this community today while searching for information about the EBT app. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea there was even a freeze feature until reading everyone's posts. I've been using my card pretty carelessly for the past couple months without thinking about security at all. After reading about all the skimming incidents, I'm definitely going to change my PIN immediately and start checking my balance every day. It's really frustrating that they removed this security feature without any warning - how are new users like me supposed to know what protections we're missing? Thank you all for sharing your experiences and keeping each other informed. This community seems like such a valuable resource when the official channels clearly aren't doing their job of keeping us updated!

lol welcome to government websites, where nothing works and everything is a headache 🤡

I actually work for a county eligibility office and see this issue pretty frequently. The phone number conflict usually happens because: 1) Someone in your household previously used that number for their CalFresh account, 2) You had an old account that wasn't properly closed, or 3) There's a data entry error in the system. The fastest solution is usually to visit your local county office in person with ID - they can update it on the spot without the phone runaround. You can also try emailing your county's CalFresh coordinator directly (each county has one) - they're usually more responsive than the general helpline.