I'm so sorry you and your kids are going through this nightmare. Three days sleeping in a car with children is absolutely unacceptable, especially when you were already approved! The advice about going back in person tomorrow is spot on - phone calls clearly aren't working. When you go, be prepared to be persistent and don't let them dismiss you. Document everything: take photos of any paperwork they give you, write down names of who you speak with, and note exact times. If they try to tell you to wait longer, remind them that children are involved and this is an emergency situation. Also, consider reaching out to local news stations - they often cover stories about families failed by the system, and sometimes that public pressure gets faster results than going through normal channels. You're being a strong advocate for your kids, don't give up! Update us when you can - this community is rooting for you. ❤️

This is absolutely heartbreaking and infuriating! No family should ever have to sleep in a car, especially with young children. The system completely failed you here - emergency homeless assistance for families with children should be processed immediately, not left hanging for days. I'm seeing great advice in the comments about going back in person and asking specifically for the Emergency Services Supervisor or Homeless Assistance Program specialist. Definitely use those exact phrases like "immediate homeless emergency with minor children" - apparently these trigger required response protocols. While you're fighting this battle tomorrow, please also try calling 2-1-1 again tonight and explicitly mention you have children ages 4 and 7 sleeping in a car - sometimes they prioritize families differently or have access to emergency vouchers through other programs. Some churches and community organizations also have emergency hotel assistance separate from CalFresh. You shouldn't have to be an expert in government bureaucracy to get help when you're in crisis, but unfortunately that's the reality. Document everything tomorrow and don't leave without either money on your card or a direct voucher. Your persistence is going to pay off - these people shared some really valuable insider knowledge about how to navigate the system. Sending strength to you and your babies! ❤️

I've been lurking here for a while but wanted to jump in since I just went through this exact situation with my sister-in-law who moved here from Nevada a few months ago. What really worked for us was keeping it simple and transparent from the start. We charged her $425/month broken down as $275 for housing and $150 for her share of utilities, groceries, and internet. This amount gave her a good shelter deduction for CalFresh (she qualified for about $250/month in benefits) while being genuinely affordable for her once she found part-time work. For the agreement, we just typed up a one-page document that said "Monthly household contribution: $425 covering shared housing costs, utilities, internet, and household expenses." We both signed it and dated it - nothing fancy, but it satisfied CalFresh verification requirements perfectly. Tax-wise, our CPA said since we're basically just cost-sharing and not profiting, there's no rental income to report. The key was being able to show our actual housing costs exceed what she pays us. One practical tip: help her gather ALL her documents before applying - birth certificate, Social Security card, any ID she has, and bank statements. Having everything ready made her interview go super smoothly. The worker was actually really helpful once she saw we had our paperwork organized. The whole process was way less stressful than I expected! Your niece is going to do great with family support like this.

I'm new to this community but reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational! As someone who might face a similar situation in the future with family members, I really appreciate how everyone has shared their real experiences rather than just theoretical advice. The consensus around $400-500 monthly seems solid, and I love how several people broke down exactly what that covers (housing share, utilities, etc.). The distinction between "household expense contributions" vs "rent" for tax purposes is something I never would have thought about but makes total sense. One question I have after reading through everything - for those who've been through this process, how long did it typically take from application to actually receiving the first CalFresh benefits? I know there's the expedited 3-day option for very low income situations, but what about more typical cases where someone has found part-time work? Also, did anyone run into issues with benefit amounts changing significantly during the first review period once employment income was more established? Just trying to understand if there are any surprises to plan for down the road. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical, real-world guidance that makes all the difference when navigating these systems!

As someone who's been on CalFresh for a few years now, I wanted to share a few additional tips that might help others in this situation. First, if you're waiting for a replacement card and have kids, definitely contact your local school district - many have weekend food backpack programs or can connect you with emergency food resources. Second, don't forget that WIC offices (if you qualify) often have emergency food vouchers available even if you're primarily on CalFresh. Lastly, I've found that calling the EBT customer service line early in the morning (like right when they open at 6 AM) gets you through much faster than calling during peak hours. The wait times are brutal in the afternoon! Hope everyone gets their cards quickly - it's such a stressful situation when you can't access your benefits.

This entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been on CalFresh for about 8 months and honestly had no clue about most of these resources. The emergency card pickup at county offices, Restaurant Meals Program, even the timing tip about calling customer service early morning - none of this was ever mentioned during my application process or in any of the materials I received. It's pretty frustrating that people have to stumble upon this crucial information through community forums rather than getting it upfront from the system itself. I'm definitely screenshotting this whole conversation for reference. It's both amazing and sad how much collective knowledge exists here that should really be standard information provided to all CalFresh recipients. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - you're literally helping people avoid going hungry while navigating bureaucratic delays!

This whole thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who works with seniors in my community, I see this situation constantly - people getting their benefits slashed when emergency allotments ended, not knowing about medical deductions they're entitled to, and struggling to get through to overwhelmed county offices. Rami, I'm so glad you were able to get your benefits increased! Your experience highlights a huge gap in the system - caseworkers should be proactively helping seniors identify all available deductions during initial applications and recertifications, not waiting for people to stumble across this information online or through word of mouth. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation, here are a few additional resources to consider: - Contact your local Area Agency on Aging - they often have benefits counselors who specialize in helping seniors navigate CalFresh, Medicare Savings Programs, and other assistance - Check if your county has a Senior Legal Aid program that can help advocate for proper benefit calculations - Document everything - keep copies of medical receipts, utility bills, and any correspondence with your caseworker The difference between $49 and $150 per month is life-changing when you're on a fixed income. Thanks for sharing your story and helping other community members learn about options they might not have known existed!

As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how helpful everyone has been in this thread! Reading through Rami's journey from $49 to potentially $150+ per month really shows the power of knowing your rights and having access to the right information. I'm actually dealing with a similar situation - my benefits dropped significantly when the emergency allotments ended, and I had no idea about medical expense deductions either. My elderly neighbor has been struggling with the same issue, and she's been too embarrassed to ask for help navigating the system. This thread is like a masterclass in CalFresh advocacy! The combination of practical advice (documenting medical expenses, using Claimyr to get through to caseworkers), specific program recommendations (CSFP, Medicare Savings Program), and real success stories gives me hope that these systems can actually work when you know how to navigate them. I'm definitely going to try the medical expense deduction route and will share this information with my neighbor. It's frustrating that this knowledge isn't automatically provided, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share real solutions that make a tangible difference in people's lives. Thanks to everyone who contributed their expertise and experiences!

Thanks for sharing this update! It's really helpful to see how this all worked out. I'm in a similar situation with a family of 5 and was wondering about the IRT thing too. Quick question - when the worker said to report if your husband's income drops significantly, did she give you any specific threshold? Like how much of a drop would be worth reporting? I'm trying to figure out if small weekly variations in my spouse's hours are worth calling about or if I should wait for bigger changes.

This is really helpful information! I'm new to CalFresh and just applied with my partner and our 2 kids. We're still waiting to hear back but based on our income estimates, I think we might also end up in this "minimal benefit" category. It's good to know that the no-IRT thing is actually normal for smaller benefit amounts and not an error in the system. I was worried that meant something was wrong with our application. Thanks for sharing your experience and the follow-up - it really helps those of us who are navigating this for the first time!