SNAP & Temporary Assistance (Cash) Households with Children Eligible for P-EBT Food Benefits

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York State will issue P-EBT food benefits to all eligible children for the 2020-21 school year.

What are P-EBT food benefits?

P-EBT food benefits are being provided to families to help cover the cost of meals their children would have received at school if not for reduced in-person learning due to the pandemic.

P-EBT food benefits are not SNAP benefits. They can only be used to purchase the same food items that can be purchased with SNAP benefits. A list of food items that may be purchased with food benefits can be found at http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items/.

Who is eligible for P-EBT food benefits?

All children who receive free school lunches through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are eligible for P-EBT food benefits if their school has been operating with reduced in-person attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-21 school year. This includes Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools and any private, prekindergarten, parochial and charter schools that participate in the NSLP.

How and when will my child receive their P-EBT food benefits?

Eligible children currently receiving SNAP or Temporary Assistance (cash) will have their P-EBT food benefits automatically issued to their household’s EBT card. You do not need to apply. You can check for your family’s P-EBT food benefit availability by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399 and checking the balance of your EBT SNAP account.

• Eligible children who attend public school in New York City will receive their P-EBT food benefits for the 2020-21 school year in two payments:
  • The first payment will be issued to NYC public school children beginning in June and will include the total benefit amount for each month between September 2020 and March 2021 that a child qualified for P-EBT food benefits.
  • The second payment will be issued to NYC public school children beginning in October and will include the total benefit amount for each month between April and June 2021 that a child qualified for P-EBT food benefits.
• Eligible children who attend public school in the rest of the state (all areas outside of the five boroughs of NYC) will receive their P-E BT food benefits for the 2020-21 school year in a single payment, which will include the total benefit amount for each month between September 2020 and June 2021 that a child qualified for P-EBT food benefits. These payments will start being issued in late August.
• Eligible children who attend non-public school throughout NYS will receive their P-E BT food benefits for the 2020-21 school year in a single payment, which will include the total benefit amount for each month between September 2020 and June 2021 that a child qualified for P-EBT food benefits. Payments to non-public school children will begin once public school benefit distribution has concluded.

We will continue to update our website at otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19 as additional information on P-EBT food benefit distribution becomes available.

IMPORTANT: Please be sure to hold on to your EBT card in the event that additional P-EBT food benefits are issued to your child in the future.

How much will my child receive?

Eligible children will receive P-EBT food benefits based on the number of days their school was closed or operated with reduced in-person attendance due to COVID-19. There are two different amounts that an eligible child may receive:

• Children whose schools reported that their in-person school attendance was reduced by 1 to 12 days during a month, will receive $82 in P-EBT food benefits for that month.
• Children whose schools reported that their in-person school attendance was reduced for more than 12 days during a month, will receive $132 in P-EBT food benefits for that month.
• Children whose schools reported that their in-person attendance was not reduced during a month due to COVID will not receive a benefit for that month.

Please note, the P-EBT food benefit amount that eligible children receive is based on the availability of monthly in-person school attendance information provided by schools and school districts.

Questions?

For answers to commonly asked P-EBT food benefit questions visit our website at otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19. You may also submit your questions in writing by visiting otda.ny.gov/PEBT-info and completing the P-EBT Information Form.