Wondering When You Will Get The $420 Per Public School Student Food Benefits?

BROOKLYN –  At the end of May, it was announced that through a federal relief effort, the state was approved to disperse the Coronavirus Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer or P-EBT. The sweeping program would automatically send families the equivalent of about $5.70 per day to make up for meals that each student would have been eligible for while in school, Chalkbeat reported. And since NYC is a universal free lunch district, every child in a public school qualifies.

The distribution of the money was supposed to begin in June, and it has, a spokesperson at the Department of Temporary and Disability Assistance confirmed to Bklyner. If you are yet to receive yours, here is how it is supposed to be distributed: Those who are current recipients of SNAP and Temporary Assistance are receiving them first on their existing Electronic Beneeift Transfer (EBT) cards. Then, it will be distributed to Medicaid recipients on their Common Benefit Identification Card. Between July and August, P-EBT cards will be mailed to those children who are enrolled in free or reduced-price school lunches but are in households that do not receive SNAP, Temporary Assistance, or Medicaid.

• If your family already receives SNAP and/ or TA benefits, the P-EBT food benefits for each eligible child will be issued directly to the household’s existing EBT card. P-EBT foods benefits will be added to your SNAP balance. You can check your family’s SNAP/P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.
• If your family does not receive SNAP or TA benefits but does receive Medicaid, the P-EBT food benefits may be issued to your Medicaid Common Benefit Identification Card (CBIC) or to the CBIC of the oldest child in your household who has been certified for free or reduced-price school lunches. You will receive more information about this in the mail. The notice will tell you how to set up a PIN for the card so that you can use the P-EBT food benefits. To report damaged, lost, or stolen EBT cards, and to request a replacement card, please call 1-888-328-6399.
• If your family does not receive SNAP or TA benefits and if you do not already have an active EBT Card, one will be mailed to you so you may access your child/children’s P-EBT food benefits. A card will be issued and mailed in each school-aged child’s name, not a parent’s or guardian’s name.

“Unlike previous rounds of federal stimulus support, families will qualify regardless of immigration status,” Chalkbeat reported. “The benefits will not count against the “public charge” rule, under which other public benefits could be a strike against someone’s chances of securing a green card or other kinds of visas.”

An EBT card looks and is used like a bank debit card to buy food at authorized retail food stores. P-EBT food benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Food items that can be purchased using the card are listed here. For more information on the card or the benefits, check out their website here.