BOSTON (WHDH) - The Baker-Polito Administration announced Monday that they received federal approval to issue additional Pandemic EBT benefits in September to promote increased food security for families who participate in the United States Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program.
These funds will help cover the cost of missed school meals for the month due to delayed school opening or remote learning for over 470,000 students and their families.
Benefits will start being distributed Sept. 30 for an estimated total amount of more than $40 million in federal money.
“P-EBT proved to be a highly effective tool for helping families across the state directly access food early on in the state’s response to the pandemic,” said Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “Securing these additional federal funds will provide much needed assistance for our families in feeding their students as they navigate this complicated transition back to school.”
P-EBT is administered by the Department of Transitional Assistance and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Eligible students who receive DTA benefits will receive their P-EBT benefits on their existing EBT card. Eligible students who do not receive DTA benefits, but were mailed a P-EBT card in the past, will receive their P-EBT benefits on their existing P-EBT card. Families who lost their P-EBT card can request a new one at DTAConnect.com/pebt starting October 1.
Newly eligible students will receive a P-EBT card in the mail in October.
Many families eligible for P-EBT are also eligible for on-going food assistance benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and are encourage to check eligibility and apply at www.DTAConnect.com.
Eligible students will receive $5.86 a day based on the number of days their school building has been closed due to delayed start and the days they are learning remotely for at least five days in a row in the month.
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