The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 provided temporary benefits, referred to as P-EBT, to families of school-aged children who would have received free or reduced-priced meals through the USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP) if school had not been affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. These benefits were issued in late Spring/Summer of 2020. 

A second issuance of P-EBT was authorized by Congress for the 2020-2021 school year. This second issuance will provide the equivalent monetary amount for school breakfast, lunch, and snack to families of students who are enrolled in schools participating in the NSLP but are not attending in person due to COVID-19. For the issuance this school year, Pennsylvania will distribute benefits to about 928,000 children – for a total distribution of about $1 billion. 

P-EBT benefits are only available to students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals or attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, enrolled in a school which participates in the NSLP, and for school days the eligible student was/is not receiving in-person instruction (school closures, virtual/remote instruction, absences, quarantine, etc.). The USDA has approved a simplifying assumption that allows Pennsylvania to issue a standard partial benefit amount across the state for students that were/are both in person and virtual (blended). 

Children are not eligible to receive P-EBT benefits if they: 

• attend in person on all school days; 

• are home schooled; 

• attend cyber charter school (this does not include virtual/remote learning under the operational control of a school board); 

• attend a school in another state (i.e., NY, NJ, MD, OH); or 

• attend a school that does not participate in NSLP. 

Children whose families already receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits will receive the P-EBT benefits on the household’s regular EBT card, if possible. Otherwise, students will receive a new P-EBT card in the eligible student’s name. 

Each eligible student will be mailed a letter detailing P-EBT. This letter is a separate mailing from the card. The letter will be mailed in the student’s name to the address provided for the primary parent/guardian. The letter will explain what the P-EBT card is, where and how to use the card, how to create a PIN for the card, what items are eligible for purchase with the card, and who to contact with questions. 

 Benefits will be issued in three separate stages: 

• Benefits for September – November 2020: Issued late Spring 2021 

• Benefits for December 2020 – February 2021: Issued in second and third week of June 2021 

• Benefits for March – May 2021: Issued in third and fourth week of July 2021 

Children whose families already receive SNAP or TANF benefits will receive P-EBT benefits on the household’s regular EBT card, if possible. Parents can check card balances at www.connectebt.com or calling 1-888-328-7366. 

P-EBT-eligible students who do not currently receive SNAP or TANF benefits will receive their benefits on a white card marked with “Pennsylvania” on the front. All students will receive a new card on their first issuance for the 2020-21 school year, even if they received a P-EBT card during the 2019-2020 P-EBT issuance. Each student will receive a card. For example: a family with 3 eligible students will receive 3 separate cards. Cards will be mailed in the student's name to the address provided for the primary parent/guardian. This mailing will be coming from Texas in a non-descript white envelope. 

Each student will receive $6.82 for each day they were not attending school in person. This will range from 0-180 school days. Benefits will be issued based on September 2020 – May 2021, using an average of 20 school days/month (9 months x 20 days = 180 days). 

The USDA has approved a simplifying assumption that allows Pennsylvania to issue a partial standard benefit for all students in a blended learning model (in-person and virtual).