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P-EBT Guidelines

Scott Turner

JUL 26, 2021

This letter is for families with:

  • Children who are certified for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
  • Children who attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision 2 (P2) school that offers free meals to all students.*
  • Children born after Aug. 1, 2014, in families who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.

Contact your child’s school if you have questions about the school’s participation in these programs.

If you do not meet at least one of the requirements listed above, your child is not eligible for the P-EBT benefits described below.

Enrolled students (up to 21 years of age) in families that temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals for the 2020–2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT). P-EBT benefits can be used to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Lone Star Card.

The application for P-EBT will open June 2, 2021. Go to  yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT to apply.

The application link is case-sensitive. The deadline to apply is Aug. 13, 2021.

 

Who Needs to Apply?

A parent/guardian must apply if eligible child is:

    • Enrolled in K-12 and NOT part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between August 2020 and June 2021.
    • Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and is part of a family who received SNAP benefits for the first time during the 2020–2021 school year in May or June 2021.
  • A parent/guardian does not have to apply if eligible child is:
    • Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and is part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between August 2020 and April 2021.
    • Born after Aug. 1, 2014, and is part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.

 For more information about eligibility, applying and getting your P-EBT benefits, visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt, or call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–6p.m. Central time.