State of Oregon: Food Benefits - Pandemic EBT (P-EBT)

Oregon Pandemic EBT

Updated November 29, 2021

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For the health and safety of yourself and others:

Call or go online as a first option before visiting an office.
If you feel you need to come into an office, call first. See below for office information.
By avoiding offices when possible, you are keeping yourself, your family and vulnerable people like children, older adults and people with disabilities safer.

How you can get help without coming into an office:

Apply for and update information about benefits: one.Oregon.gov, 1-800-699-9075 (711 TTY)
Call a local office
Call 2-1-1
Call the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-673-2372
Call 1-855-503-SAFE (7233) if you suspect abuse or neglect of an adult or child

For safety planning for survivors of domestic violence: Our office staff are here to support you in person.

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program benefits have ended

The P-EBT Program period for School Year 2020-21 and Summer 2021 officially closed Nov. 30. If you reached out to us on or before Nov. 30 with questions about your card or P-EBT benefits for a child in your household, we are working to respond to your message. Right now, our team is currently responding to emails received on Nov. 19. We appreciate your patience as our team works to respond to all families who reached out to 211info or the ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us.

P-EBT questions will continue to be resolved through the month of December for families who reached out prior to Nov. 30.

El periodo del Programa P-EBT para el año escolar 2020-21 y el verano del 2021 oficialmente terminó el 30 de noviembre. Si usted nos contactó antes del 30 de noviembre con preguntas sobre su tarjeta o beneficios de P-EBT para un niño de su hogar, estamos trabajando en responderle a su mensaje. En estos momentos, estamos respondiendo a los correos electrónicos que recibimos el día 19 de noviembre. Apreciamos su paciencia mientras equipo trabaja para responderle a todas las familias que se pusieron en contacto con el 211info o el correo electrónico ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us

Estaremos contestando a todas las familias que se pusieron en contacto con nosotros antes del 30 de noviembre del 2021 durante todo el mes de diciembre.

School Year 2020-21

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. P-EBT is money for buying food at home for students.

Oregon sent P-EBT to families with eligible students to make-up for meals students missed while schools and childcare were closed part-time or full-time during the 2020-21 school year.

P-EBT is a program in partnership with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE).

P-EBT Known Issues and Fixes

Active Issues

Known Issue	Fix	What families need to do
On Nov. 29, 2021 ODHS determined the Community Eligible Provision (CEP) status for the following schools were incorrectly updated to indicate the school was CEP eligible. This approved P-EBT benefits for students who do not meet free or reduced-price school meal eligibility. Students impacted: 4,500 Schools Impacted: Kelso Elem Ogden Middle Ocean Crest Elem Obsidian Middle Oakland Elementary Oakland High Riddle Elem Crane Union High Oaklea Middle Oakdale Heights Elementary Weston-McEwen High Oak Hills Elem Meadow Park Middle Kelly Creek Elem Oregon Service Learning Academy Kings Valley Charter School Arthur Academy Portland Yamhill Carlton Intermediate Oregon Trail Elem Oregon Trail Primary Academy Kairos PDX Family Solutions Oak Grove Elem Sweet Home Charter School Eagle Ridge High School	ODHS analyzed and has corrected the error which caused the issue. A notice is being sent to families letting them know of the EBT card and food benefits sent in error. Unspent food benefits will be recovered. The error was corrected Nov. 29, 2021. Recovery of food benefits issued in error began Nov. 29, 2021.	P-EBT benefits will automatically be removed from the EBT card of students who are ineligible to receive Pandemic EBT benefits. No follow up action is needed from the families. If you feel that your student is eligible for Pandemic EBT, or have questions regarding eligibility or the Pandemic EBT program please email: ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us
On Nov. 29, 2021 ODHS learned that the 5 schools which do not participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) were included as eligible for the P-EBT program. For P-EBT the school the student attends must participate in the NSLP to be eligible to receive P-EBT benefits. Students impacted: 52 Schools Impacted: Central Howell Elem Evergreen Elementary School Keating Elementary School Mist Elementary School Pratum Elementary School	ODHS analyzed and has corrected the error which caused the issue. A notice is being sent to families letting them know of the EBT card and food benefits sent in error. Unspent food benefits will be recovered. The error was corrected Nov. 29, 2021. Recovery of food benefits issued in error began Nov. 29, 2021.	P-EBT benefits will automatically be removed from the EBT card of students who are ineligible to receive Pandemic EBT benefits. No follow up action is needed from the families.
On Nov. 16, 2021 ODHS learned that the Community Eligible Provision (CEP) status for the following schools were incorrectly updated to indicate the school was CEP eligible. This approved P-EBT benefits for students who do not meet free or reduced-price school meal eligibility. Students impacted: 4,990 Schools impacted: Kelso Elem Ocean Crest Elem Obsidian Elem Oakland Elem Oakland High Riddle Elem Crane Union High Ridgeview Elem Oaklea Middle Lincoln High Oakdale Heights Elem Weston-McEwen High Oak Hills Elem Meadow Park Middle Kelly Creek Elem Oregon Service Learning Academy Kings Valley Charter School Arthur Academy Portland Yamhill Carlton Intermediate Oregon Trail Elem Oregon Trail Primary Academy Kairos PDX	ODHS analyzed and has corrected the error which caused the issue. A notice is being sent to families letting them know of the EBT card and food benefits sent in error. Unspent food benefits will be recovered. Date of fix: The error was corrected Nov. 16, 2021. Recovery of food benefits issued in error began Nov. 18, 2021.	P-EBT benefits will automatically be removed from the EBT card of students who are ineligible to receive Pandemic EBT benefits. No follow up action is needed from the families. If you feel that your student is eligible for Pandemic EBT, or have questions regarding eligibility or the Pandemic EBT program please email: ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us

Inactive Issues

Known Issue	Fix	What families need to do
On Oct. 13, 2021 ODHS learned that the Community Eligible Provision (CEP) status for Lincoln High school in Portland was incorrectly updated to indicate that Lincoln High School was a CEP school. This approved P-EBT benefits for students who do not meet free or reduced-price school meal eligibility. Students impacted: 1,400	ODHS analyzed and has corrected the error which caused the issue. Date of fix: The error was corrected Oct. 29, 2021. Food benefits issued in error were recovered on Nov. 5, 2021.	No follow up action is needed from the families. Families who spent food benefits that were issued in error will not be penalized.
The PIN cannot be set up on the students EBT card due to an invalid date of birth. Students impacted: 1,200	A fix of the Oregon School Meals Benefit System is being made to correct the date of birth which will allow families to establish the PIN for the EBT card. Date of fix: Sept. 28, 2021	Please call the phone number on the back of the EBT card (1-888-997-4447) to establish a PIN for the EBT card using the students date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY format).
EBT cards with a $0 balance were mailed to students who are ineligible to receive Pandemic EBT. Students impacted: 61,000	A notice will be mailed to families letting them know of the EBT card sent in error. Date of fix: Notice mailed Sept. 14, 2021	No follow up action is needed from the families.
Eligible students have not yet received P-EBT payments due to additional information being needed from the school which they attend. Pandemic EBT benefits are based on the learning mode reported by the school for each month of the 2020-2021 school year.	The Oregon Department of Human Services has worked closely with the Oregon Department of Education to obtain learning mode information from schools and have it updated for P-EBT benefits as quickly as possible. As of Sept. 13, 2021, all schools have reported their learning mode for the 20-21 school year. Date of fix: Sept. 22-30, 2021	No follow up action is needed from the families. Eligible students who have not received P-EBT benefits for October-March will receive their benefits between Sept. 22-30.
Delay in supplemental issuance of benefits for students who had not yet received October, November, and December 2020 payments. Students impacted: 15,000	A fix of the Oregon School Meals Benefit System is being made which will issue out supplemental benefits to students for October, November, and December 2020. Date of fix: Aug. 20, 2021	No follow up action is needed from the families.

How children qualify for P-EBT

Who is eligible for P-EBT benefits?

There is no application. Children are eligible for P-EBT if they:

Are enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and have been determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals by their school.
Attend a school approved by ODE to provide all meals free of charge such as a Community Eligibility Provision School.
Are age 0-5 and receive SNAP benefits greater than $0.
Are age 6, receive SNAP benefits and ODHS has received verification they are enrolled in a childcare facility with reduced hours or closures.

Verification can be emailed to ebt.schoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us or uploaded through ONE Applicant portal.

How do I know if my child is eligible?

Eligible children will receive a notice and a P-EBT card in the mail with their name on it. Families should keep their cards as more benefits may be added later. See the P-EBT Issuance Schedule for more information on when benefits will be issued.

My children have been getting meals at no charge from their school or community meal location since COVID-19 began. Does that qualify them for P-EBT benefits?

No. Eligibility for P-EBT benefits is based on the meals provided by your school before the COVID-19 public health emergency.

My student is homeschooled, are they still eligible for P-EBT?

No. P-EBT is available only to students enrolled in a school who would normally receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) if the school was not closed or had reduced attendance due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Will I receive September 2020 P-EBT Benefits?

A full P-EBT benefit of $136 will be issued for those eligible students who have not yet received a September P-EBT benefit. Supplements will be issued to households who received less than $100 for September 2020. The $36 supplement is only available to children who met previous P-EBT eligibility criteria and does not include children eligible under expanded 2020-2021 school year P-EBT eligibility criteria.

Will I receive P-EBT for Summer 2021?

Oregon was recently approved to issue P-EBT benefits for Summer 2021 for the months of June, July and August. Each eligible student will receive the full Summer P-EBT amount of $389 divided over two payments, the first on October 1 in the amount of $129.00 and the second in the amount of $260 staggered over October 22-30, 2021.

Children who meet the following will be issued Summer P-EBT benefits:

Students who were eligible for P-EBT benefits in May 2021
Children aged 6 years and younger who are part of a SNAP case at any time between June 1, 2021 and September 4, 2021
Students who applied for Summer P-EBT between June 1, 2021 and September 4, 2021

Summer P-EBT is an extension of the P-EBT for school year 2020-2021.

How can I apply for free or reduced-price meals for my student?

If circumstances have changed for your family and your student may now be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, you can apply online through Oregon Department of Education or contact your school for more information.

Applications are currently being received for the 2021-2022 school year.
Applying for free or reduced meal benefits may qualify your family for P-EBT. The amount of P-EBT benefits will vary according to application date, education model used by the school, and meals provided through the school.

Applications to determine eligibility for free or reduced meals for the 2020-2021 school ended June 30, 2021. Applications to determine eligibility for free or reduced meals for Summer 2021 P-EBT ended September 4, 2021.

What happens to the ODE online application after I submit it?

Individual school districts will determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits.

In addition, this confidential information will be shared with ODHS for P-EBT benefits for students that meet eligibility requirements. This information may be shared with ODHS without written parental consent.

How families receive P-EBT

How will I get my P-EBT benefits?

Non-SNAP households will receive a new card in the mail if you are new to P-EBT or received P-EBT for multiple children on the same card in the Spring of 2020. Benefits will be issued on Oregon EBT cards and mailed to the physical address on file with the school for students who do not receive SNAP.

SNAP households with P-EBT eligible children will receive P-EBT on the same card as SNAP. The P-EBT issuance is based on the Benefit Issuance Schedule and will be different than your normal SNAP issuance date.

If your family has not received their P-EBT card(s), email ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us to request a new card be mailed to you.

Which address is the P-EBT card mailed to?

If you do not already have an EBT card, one will be mailed to the address that is listed on file for your student at their school.

If you cannot receive mail at your physical address, please email the ODHS P-EBT Central Team at ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us to provide a good mailing address.

What if my family recently moved or the school my child attends does not have the correct address on file?

If you have recently moved, please email the ODHS P-EBT Central Team at ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us to update your address.

You may also consider letting your child's school know of the address update and turning in a change of address at your Post Office.

If you cannot receive mail at your physical address, please email the ODHS P-EBT Central Team at ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us to provide a good mailing address.

My family is facing homelessness. How do I get my P-EBT card?

If your family is facing homelessness and your child is eligible to receive P-EBT, contact ODHS at ebtschoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us or 503-945-6481 to provide an accessible mailing address (this may include the school's address).

How much P-EBT families receive and when

How much will I get in P-EBT benefits?

Benefits are determined at the school level based on the learning model utilized by most of the enrolled students, as well as the type of meal service provided. Benefit levels may not be adjusted based on individual student schedules.

For the 2020-2021 School Year

A full benefit amount of $136 will be issued each month in which most students attended remote learning or attended a school that did not provide NSLP meal service as a part of the instructional day for students attending on-site.
A partial benefit amount of $75 will be issued each month in which most students in a school attended a hybrid learning model.
P-EBT benefit amounts for children 6 and younger receiving SNAP are based on the highest benefit amount for any school in the county where the child lives.

When will I receive P-EBT benefits?

P-EBT benefits will be issued based on the last digit of the P-EBT case number, which is located in the top right corner of the P-EBT Benefit Notice Letter that will be sent in the mail. Please note: the return address on these mail notices is South Dakata.

View the P-EBT benefit issuance schedule.

If you have not received your initial P-EBT benefit by October 1, 2021 please contact ODHS:

By email at ebt.schoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us, or
By calling 503-945-6481.

More information

My family does not need these benefits, how do we opt-out?

P-EBT is intended to reimburse families for the cost of the free meal missed at school. If you opt out, you are letting ODHS know that you don't wish to receive P-EBT benefits for that student in your household. Benefits will not be issued to families who have decided to opt out and will carry over to future years.

Benefits are not transferrable and cannot be gifted or donated. You can change your student's opt-in/opt-out status at any time. If you still wish to decline the benefits, email ODHS at ebt.schoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us.

Will there be more P-EBT benefits?

It is possible that additional P-EBT benefits for the 2021-2022 school year will be available in Oregon. Future extensions are based on the ongoing need due to the public health emergency declaration because of COVID-19.

You can avoid delays in accessing future benefits by keeping the card safe once you have spent all your P-EBT benefits. This card will remain active and allow quick access to any future P-EBT benefit issuances.

Updates will be posted when available on this web page.

There are no benefits on the card(s) my family received, or my family did not receive cards for all eligible children in the home. What do I do about it?

If you believe your student attends a qualifying school and is an eligible student, please contact ODHS by email at ebt.schoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us or by calling 503-945-6481. Helpful information to include is your student's full legal name, date of birth, school they attended for the 2020-2021 school year and contact information so P-EBT staff can reach back out.

Can P-EBT benefit amounts be changed or corrected?

P-EBT benefits will only change if the school reported a correction to the learning model or meal service from what was previously reported that increases the P-EBT amount for all students. All students within a school will receive the same benefit level regardless of how the individual student is attending. If the change is an increase to the benefit, a supplement will automatically be issued to the EBT card.

Resources for Families

Resources for Schools

Pandemic P-EBT fact sheet

Food Benefits

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Oregon Pandemic EBT​

P-EBT Known Issues and Fixes​

​How children qualify for P-EBT​​​

How families receive P-EBT​

How much P-EBT families receive and when​