Starting June 15, 2021 families that qualify for free or reduced price
meals at school can once more apply for Pandemic Electronic Benefits
Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to help cover food costs they experienced
while their student was not doing in-seat learning due to the pandemic.
However, the P-EBT 2020-2021 program is very different from last year's
program. Please review the P-EBT Letter to Families. Here are highlights
of those changes:
* All families must apply to get the P-EBT benefit, regardless of
whether or not they receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP)/Food Stamp benefits.
* A child may be eligible for P-EBT only if the school was closed,
not doing in-seat learning, or had reduced attendance or hours at least
five school days in a row due to COVID-19 (in most cases, this includes
hybrid modes of learning).
* P-EBT benefits are available for the months of September 2020 through May 2021.
* The P-EBT benefit is based on the school's report of how much of
the month was not in-seat learning. If most of the school's month was
not in-seat learning, the monthly P-EBT benefit amount is $129.58. If
only some of the school's month was not in-seat learning, the monthly
P-EBT benefit amount is $77.75.
* Families download the P-EBT application<https://dss.mo.gov/covid-19/pdf/P-EBT-Application%20-%20English.pdf> (aplicación en Español<https://dss.mo.gov/covid-19/pdf/P-EBT-Application%20-%20Spanish.pdf>)
· Families must directly email or mail the P-EBT application to
the Family Support Division address listed on the application by July
31, 2021.
* Families must not submit the application to the school district.
* Each eligible student will get an EBT card in his or her name with
the lump sum P-EBT benefit amount for the 2020-2021 school year.
Ineligible families will receive a denial letter.
The application can be found on the https://mydss.mo.gov/ website. Please read the P-EBT FAQs<https://mydss.mo.gov/covid-food-stamp-info>.
If you have questions on how to apply for the P-EBT benefit, contact DSS through the online chat feature at mydss.mo.gov<https://mydss.mo.gov/> or call 855-373-4636.