Third Round of Pandemic Food Benefits Coming to Texas Families – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

A third round of pandemic federal food aid worth $ 1.4 billion will soon be sent to Texas families with children temporarily unable to access free or discounted school meals due to COVID-19.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced Tuesday that it had received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend the state’s Pandemic Electronic Power Transfer (P-EBT) program through the summer.

The June-August Summer P-EBT offers approximately 3.7 million Texas families a one-time benefit of $ 375 per eligible child and can be used to pay for food in the same way as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits be used.

“As the children go back to school across the state, we will be grateful that we can provide this added benefit so Texans can provide nutritious food for their families,” said Wayne Salter, HHS assistant executive commissioner for access and authorization services.

Details of eligibility from the state are below.

Children in grades K to 12 who were entitled to P-EBT benefits in the 2020/21 school year are entitled to summer P-EBT benefits as long as they were still enrolled in school in the last month of the school year. This includes children who did not receive a P-EBT benefit for the 2020-21 school year based on the virtual attendance percentage provided by their schools.

Families who previously received the P-EBT benefits for the 2020-21 school year automatically receive the summer P-EBT benefits and do not have to do anything. Children born after August 1, 2014 who received SNAP food benefits between June 2021 and August 2021 will automatically receive the summer P-EBT benefits on their Lone Star Card. No action is required from these families.

Families who have not applied for the 2020-2021 P-EBT school year can still apply until September 13th. If they are entitled to the P-EBT benefit for the school year, their children will automatically also receive summer P-EBT.

Some children who were not eligible for 2020-21 school year P-EBT benefits but attended a Texan school in the last month of the school year may still be eligible for Summer P-EBT. Schools and districts will provide families with additional information about NSLP eligibility, including a reminder to complete the Free and Discounted Meal Budget Application (NSLP form) by August 28, 2021 for P-EBT benefits.

Eligible families will receive summer P-EBT benefits in the fall. Visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt or call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255 to learn more.

To date, HHSC has distributed approximately $ 4.7 billion in P-EBT food benefits to Texas families. The administration of the Summer P-EBT is a joint effort by the HHSC, the Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Texas Education Agency.

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