Pandemic EBT

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P-EBT Information (English)
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Family Food Benefit

How to Apply for P-EBT

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is a one-time benefit for eligible families to buy food. P-EBT is for families who meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Children up to 21 years old who are certified for free or reduced-price meals at school in Texas during the 2019-20 school year.
• Children 5-18 years old who received SNAP food benefits for the month of March 2020.
• Children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students (Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2).

Who needs to complete an online application?

• Families that did NOT receive SNAP benefits for the month of March 2020 AND have children who are certified for free or reduced-price meals or who attend a school that offers free meals to all students.
• Families that received SNAP benefits for the month of March 2020, with children under 5 and/or between the ages of 19 and 21 as of March 17, 2020.

Who does not need to submit an application?

• Families that received SNAP benefits for the month of March 2020 who have children ages 5-18 as of March 17, 2020. Benefits will be loaded onto your existing SNAP card by May 22. No action is needed.

How do I apply?

• Your school will email you the application link in early June. The application will be open until June 30, 2020.
• If you get SNAP benefits and your child is approved for P-EBT, Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) will put funds on your current Lone Star Card. If you do not currently get SNAP benefits, HHS will mail you a P-EBT card loaded with benefits.

What information do families need to complete the application?

The application will ask for information about each child and the parent that is applying. It is important that you complete as much information as possible.

The following information is required on the application:

• Head of household first name
• Head of household last name
• Head of household date of birth
• Head of household sex
• Head of household mailing address
• Child first name
• Child last name
• Child sex
• Child date of birth
• School District Name
• Type of school (public, private, charter, or other)????

The following information is optional on the application for each child:

• Child’s middle name
• Child’s Social Security
• School ID #

While this term can vary depending on your school or district, it may be referred to as Student ID or Local ID. You should be able to find the number on your child’s report card, by logging into the student or parent portal, or by asking your child.

Ready to fill out an application?

The application link will be available the first week of June and close on June 30, 2020. Eligible families will receive the link to the P-EBT application from their school.

Do you have questions about P-EBT?

For more information, please visit hhs.texas.gov/PEBT. A P-EBT call center will be available in June when the application is available. The phone number will be included in the information your school provides when they send you the application link.

This letter is intended for families with:

• Children who received SNAP food benefits for March 2020.
• Children who are certified for free or reduced-price school meals during the 2019-20 Texas school year.
• Children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students (Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2).

If you do not meet at least one of these criteria, you are not eligible for the benefits described below.

Dear Parent or Guardian,

We understand the challenging circumstances you are experiencing and wanted you to know your household may be eligible to receive Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Texas Lone Star Card.

P-EBT is a one-time benefit of up to $285 and will be issued on an EBT card to assist families during this unanticipated school closure.

Children up to 21 years old who are certified for free or reduced-price meals at school in Texas during the 2019-20 school year and all children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students (Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2) are eligible to receive P-EBT benefits.

Families who received SNAP benefits for the month of March 2020 and have children 5-18 years old as of May 17, 2020, do not need to apply for those children. These families will receive P-EBT benefits on their current Lone Star Card by May 22. No further action is required of you.

Families with children up to 21 years old who are certified to receive free or reduced-price meals during the 2019-20 school year need to apply for P-EBT. (This includes families who received SNAP benefits for the month of March 2020 and have children under 5 and between 19 and 21.) These families will need to apply for P-EBT benefits online. Eligible families will receive a school email with a link to the P-EBT application the first week of June. You will have until June 30, 2020 to complete the application. Once approved, a P-EBT card will be mailed to your household.

Please refer to the “How to Apply for P-EBT” handout for more information about the application process and what information you will need to provide.

You will have one year, from the date the benefits were issued, to use your P-EBT food benefits. P-EBT benefits are non-transferrable.

We trust this benefit will prove helpful. For more information, please visit hhs.texas.gov/PEBT. A P-EBT call center will be available in June when the application is available. The phone number will be included in the information we send you with the application link.