SACRAMENTO – Due to a change in vendor operations, the California Department of Social Services is announcing that the State's Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, system will be temporarily unavailable for cardholders to make cash withdrawals or food purchases for a 24-hour period during the weekend of June 23 to 24.

The department is encouraging EBT cardholders to plan ahead, buy needed food, and withdraw cash prior to the 24-hour shutdown.

The system will be temporarily unavailable from 11 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, through 11 p.m. on Sunday, June 24.

During this time, the EBT Web site and customer service telephone line will be unavailable.

All active EBT cardholders were notified of the temporary outage by mail on June 4. The notification was translated into 18 languages.

In addition, all authorized EBT retailers were informed of the temporary outage and encouraged to post signage in stores informing cardholders.

The EBT system is used for the delivery, redemption, and reconciliation of issued public assistance benefits, such as CalFresh, CalWORKs, and other food and cash aid benefits.

The EBT card provides access to ATM and point of sale devices across the state to withdraw cash benefits and make purchases. EBT is accessible in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.

Please visit the EBT website at www.ebt.ca.gov for more information.