May 7, 2024 Department of Human Services Debuts Summer Child Nutrition Program A new, permanent federal child nutrition program known as SUN Bucks aims to keep children fed during the summer months when they are not in school. Through the program, also called Summer EBT, eligible children will receive an EBT card that can be used to purchase groceries. Learn More The program will be run by the state’s Department of Human Services, with support from the Department of Education. Children who are eligible and automatically signed up for SUN Bucks include: Children ages 6 to 18 who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or medical assistance with qualifying income during the school year or summer 2024. This includes home-schooled and cyber-schooled children. Children who attend schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and either: Applies for and is approved for free and reduced-price school meals during the school year Receives SNAP, TANF, or medical assistance with qualifying income at any time during the school year or summer Is directly certified for free school meals as a foster child, migrant, or someone experiencing homelessness Children who attend schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and whose families meet the income guidelines for SUN Bucks but were not automatically enrolled in the program by being in one of the categories listed above may be eligible. However, they would need to apply directly to receive SUN Bucks. The monthly household gross income limit for SUN Bucks is: $2,248 for a household of one $3,041 for a household of two $3,833 for a household of three $4,625 for a household of four $5,418 for a household of five +$8,732 for each additional family member More Details The benefit amount for summer 2024 is $40 per summer month per child. Payments will be made as one payment of $120 by September 30, 2024 at the latest. This timeline will be updated as DHS gets closer to implementing the program. Qualifying families who already receive SNAP benefits will see the benefit added to their card. For those who do not receive SNAP benefits, an EBT card will be mailed to them. Those interested in the program should make sure that their child’s school has a current mailing address. Additional information on how to activate the EBT card, how to check the card’s balance, and how the card can be used to buy food is available online.
May 12, 2022 DHS to Offer P-EBT Benefits for 2021-22 School Year 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. About P-EBT Benefits In April 2022, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture approved Pennsylvania’s plan to provide P-EBT benefits to students for the 2021-22 school year. Beginning in mid to late June, eligible students will receive P-EBT benefits in several 10-day periods: the first stage will provide benefits for eligible students for the months of September 2021 through November 2021 the second stage will provide benefits for eligible students for the months of December 2021-February 2022 the third stage will provide benefits for eligible students for the months of March through May 2022 the final stage will provide benefits for eligible students for the months of June through August of 2022 The amount of benefits received for each child for each stage will vary based on the individual student’s circumstances. Benefits will be issued on existing EBT or P-EBT cards. Anyone who has not received P-EBT previously will get a card in the mail for each eligible child. The return address on the card’s envelope will be from Texas. Eligibility Children qualify for P-EBT if they receive meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and missed those meals because they were absent from the classroom due to COVID-19. Children are eligible for NSLP if they have an approved free or reduced-price status from a household application, are directly certified by receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or certain Medical Assistance benefits through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), or are enrolled in a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school. The PA Department of Human Services will work with schools to get the necessary information to determine which students are eligible. For more details, visit the PA Department of Human Services website.
