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Families of students who normally rely on the free school lunch program for meals each day will soon be receiving increased access to benefits to help ensure that children have access to food.
The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (or P-EBT) is a temporary food benefit available in Virginia to families with children who would have received free or reduced-price meals if schools were open. The program is authorized through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. The Virginia Department of Social Services and the Virginia Department of Education are working together to disperse the funds across the commonwealth.
“We appreciate the dedicated efforts of our school districts and their amazing food service workers who have been working diligently to operate meal sites to support the nearly 592,000 children in Virginia who receive free or reduced-price meals,” said VDSS Commissioner S. Duke Storen.
According to the Department of Social Services, these benefits are intended to supplement the existing nutrition programs for low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The P-EBT benefits are calculated at the rate of $5.70 per day per child for the 66 days Virginia's schools will be closed. VDSS will issue benefits to eligible households with a total benefit of $376 per eligible student. Benefits will be provided for eligible students only and not for other children in the household.
If families are eligible for P-EBT benefits and are currently receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, the additional funds will be added to their EBT cards in the next two weeks. For families that are not already participating in SNAP, the P-EBT card should arrive by mail in the next four to six weeks.
Eligible households will receive benefits for the entire period their students were eligible, even if they do not receive benefits until the end of May or June.
Henrico County students and others ages 18 or younger can pick up a packaged lunch and breakfast each school day between 11 a.m. and noon, on a first-come, first-served basis at 15 sites countywide. Food distribution is open to all students, regardless of what school they attend.
For a list of the 15 sites, visit the HCPS website.
