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The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) helps families cover the cost of breakfasts and lunches their children would have been eligible to receive for free or at reduced price through the National School Lunch Program funding for meals missed while being out of school during the pandemic. The money on these cards can be used for food only.

Once believed to be a short-term program, P-EBT has now transformed into a longer-term federal response to the national public health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summer P-EBT Benefits

Eligible families will receive a Summer P-EBT payment of $391 per child for June, July, and August months.

School-Age Children

Beginning September 12 and ending on September 23, 2022, the PA Department of Human Services (PA DHS) will issue Summer P-EBT to the following school year 2021-22 Pre-k-12 students who:

• were already enrolled in their school’s Free or Reduced-Price Meals program; or
• attended a school where all students are automatically enrolled in the Free Meals program through the “community eligibility provision” (CEP). (CEP allows public schools with many low-income families to enroll all its students in the free meals program. This should not be confused with the recent pandemic school meals fee waiver).; or
• were enrolled in their school’s Free or Reduced-Price Meals program or in a CEP school but did virtual instruction through that school during the past year due to concerns about COVID-19; or
• didn’t enroll in the Free or Reduced-Price Meals program until after May 2022 but before August 21, 2022. The Summer P-EBT benefit will begin to be issued to these students on October 11.

For Children Birth through Five

From October 20-21, 2022, PA DHS will issue the Summer P-EBT payment to families who were receiving SNAP benefits for their young child at any time in June, July, or August.

Benefits

Benefits will be issued on existing EBT or P-EBT cards. If your child never received P-EBT before, the state will automatically send them a new card or will try to deposit their benefits on your EBT card if you currently receive SNAP benefits for your child and the state can match your child’s info from their school to your SNAP account.

If you no longer have your child’s previous P-EBT card, you can request a new one through the state’s P-EBT Portal. If you no longer have your SNAP EBT card, you can request a replacement by calling 1-877-395-8930.

More Information

For more details, visit the PA Department of Human Services and the Just Harvest websites.