Food Services

 

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING P-EBT

 

The New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DHS-DFD) is the State agency authorized to administer economic assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in the State of New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) is the State agency authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to administer and enforce the School Meals Programs in New Jersey. While DHS-DFD is the lead agency for the implementation of the special P-EBT benefit, both departments are working together to disseminate information and address frequently asked questions received from school districts. 

 

1.) What is P-EBT? The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (FFCRA) (P.L. 116-127) included authorization for a program called Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) that seeks to address food insecurity by allowing a State to provide food assistance benefits to help students during extended school closures. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) approved the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development’s plan to provide households with children eligible for free and reduced priced meals under the National School Lunch Program (NLSP) with P-EBT benefits due to COVID-19 related school closures. The Division of Family Development has been working with individual School Food Authorities (SFAs) to identify eligible children and issue P-EBT benefits. The P-EBT benefit for individuals is the value of school breakfast and lunch, which equates to $5.70 per day for each student for each day that school was closed. The full benefit amount is $416.10, which covers the 73 days that schools were closed due to COVID-19. The P-EBT program creates access to a special benefit provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) agency. P-EBT is a one-time benefit for families that have lost access to free or reduced-price meals because of school closures related to COVID-19

 

 2.) Who is eligible for P-EBT? All children who were approved to receive free or reduced-price meals as of March 18, 2020, if not for their school closure due to COVID-19, are eligible to receive P-EBT. 

 

 3) Where do I direct families that have questions about P-EBT benefits? If families have questions about New Jersey’s P-EBT program, they should call 1-800-997-3333 or go to NJSNAP-P-EBT.