States approve their summer plan for P-EBT. / U.S. Department of Agriculture, flickr

The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program will be available in the summer of 2021, if your state’s extension is approved. P-EBT helps families who lost free or reduced-price school meals because of school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the states who have an approved plan for School Year 2020-21 have applied to extend the benefits into the summer and are waiting for the federal government to approve the summer plans.

Read more below to learn:

  1. Which states and areas have been approved to give P-EBT in the summer of 2021?
  2. Which states will not provide P-EBT in the summer of 2021?
  3. How will the government provide the money to families? 
  4. Is it only for students who study virtually?
  5. Do my children require a social security number?
  6. What is the difference between general P-EBT received during the school year and summer P-EBT?

Which states and areas have been approved to give P-EBT in the summer of 2021?

Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico have already been approved. Many other states are waiting for approval to give P-EBT summer benefits.

Which states will not provide P-EBT in the summer of 2021?

Wyoming, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi. A state must have an approved P-EBT plan for School Year 2020– 2021 to extend benefits in the summer benefits, and these states do not have an approved plan for the school year.

How will the government provide the money to families? 

This depends on your state. The program will deposit money either on a new or existing EBT card.  Check your state’s P-EBT website for the latest on P-EBT in your state.

Is it only for students who study virtually?

No. Summer P-EBT is based on the student’s family income, not the learning model or operating-status at the student’s school or child care facility.

Do my children require a social security number?

No. You or your child do not need a social security number (SSN) to complete the P-EBT application or receive the P-EBT benefit, but some states may ask for a SSN on the application to process the application faster. If your child does not have a SSN, you do not have to provide one and they can still be eligible. 

If you receive a phone call asking for SSN, do not give your SSN over the phone. Since the P-EBT cards began arriving in the mail, some recipients have received scamming calls from people posing as social service representatives seeking personal information.

What is the difference between general P-EBT received during the school year and summer P-EBT?

This depends on each state. States can choose the standard P-EBT benefit which is $375 for summer 2021, based on 55 summer weekdays at $6.82 per day. Or states may choose to distribute benefits based on their own data. 

Author

Veronika Geronimo is a contributor from Noticias Para Inmigrantes. She is the author of several reports related to immigrant services and social health policy and is a former columnist for the Fil-Am Courier, the leading Philippine publication in Hawaii.