According to the PA Department of Human Services (DHS), since federal officials approved Pennsylvania’s plan for benefits lost due to pandemic-related school closures eligible families should be receiving their benefits later this month.

The Pandemic-EBT program was set up to help families cover the costs of free and reduced-price breakfasts and lunches kids would have normally gotten in school but that they missed due to pandemic-related school closures. Thus, despite being open for the most part  during the 2021-22 school year, many schools closed for days or weeks at a time because of staffing shortages and high COVID-19 case counts.

Since the Pandemic-EBT program was set up to help families cover the costs of free and reduced-price breakfasts and lunches kids would have normally gotten in school but that they missed due to pandemic-related school closures, the state requested the ability make up for any benefits lost due to closures..

DHS is recommending that families who have previously received and activated P-EBT cards should keep them, and families who have an EBT card for other benefits will receive their funds through that card.

For more information about P-EBT, see this list of frequently asked questions from Just Harvest. If you need assistance with your P-EBT card, the state hotline is 484-363-2137.

Source: WESA