Food Benefits

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Pandemic EBT (P-EBT)

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Extra grocery money for families for days when kids are not in school or in remote learning​

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​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 is sending P-EBT to families with eligible students this summer. The grocery money is to make-up for meals students missed  while schools and childcare were closed part-time or full-time during the 2020-21 school year. You can still get “grab-and-go" or summer meals from the school while receiving P-EBT.

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


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:

​​If things have changed for your family and your student may now be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, there is still time to apply!

You can apply online through Oregon Department of Education or contact your school for more information. 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.   

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)​
How do I know if my child is eligible?
Review the list of National School Lunch Program schools in Oregon to see if your child's school participates in the National School Lunch Program. This list will show, by school, whether all students or the students eligible for free or reduced meals can expect P-EBT benefits.  

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

National School Lunch Program ​
My student is homeschooled, are they still eligible for P-EBT?
​No. P-EBT is available only to students
  • enrolled in and receiving education services in a school
and who would normally receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program if the school was not closed or had reduced attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


​What if my child was not identified as eligible for P-EBT?
If you believe your student qualifies for P-EBT benefits and did not receive them, please contact your student's school after August 15, 2021. 


​How families receive P-EBT​

​How will we get P-EBT benefits?
​Non-SNAP households will receive a new card in the mail if you ar""e new to P-EBT or received P-EBT for multiple children on the same card from spring 2020 P-EBT. Benefits will be issued on Oregon EBT cards and mailed to the 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 timeline detailed below and will be different than your normal SNAP issuance date.
​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.  

​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 contact your student's school to update your address and consider turning in a change of address form at your Post Office.  
​My family is experiencing homelessness. How do I get my P-EBT card?
If your family is experiencing 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 a school address). 

​What if my EBT card was lost, stolen or I need a replacement card?
Call the toll-free Oregon Trail Card Replacement Line at 1-855-328-6715 to request a replacement card. The Replacement Line is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Replacement cards are sent by mail and typically arrive within five business days.

​​How much P-EBT families receive and when​

​How much are the 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 available. Benefit levels may not be adjusted based on individual student schedules.

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 National School Lunch Program 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 the child resides in. 
​When will I receive P-EBT benefits?
The following is the tentative benefit issuance timeline. P-EBT benefits will be issued based on the last digit of the P-EBT case number which can be found in the top, right corner of the P-EBT Benefit Notice Letter you will receive by mail. ​


Tentative P-EBT Benefit Issuance Timeline ​
Retroactive benefit months Date of notice
and
benefit issuance

October 2020

November 2020

December 2020

No later than July 30, 2021

January 2021

February 2021

March 2021

No later than August 30, 2021

April 2021

May 2021

No later than September 30, 2021
September Supplement 2020 No later than September 30, 2021

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What if my student did not receive a P-EBT card or funding on my existing EBT card?
​The first issuance of P-EBT benefits will begin on July 22, 2021.  

If you believe your student qualifies for P-BET, please contact ODHS by emailing ebt.schoolmeals@dhsoha.state.or.us or by calling 503-945-6481 starting August 15, 2021. ODE and ODHS staff will work with your school to resolve any inquiries. You may be contacted for additional information to resolve any discrepancies.
​Will I receive September 2020 P-EBT Benefits?
A full P-EBT benefit of $136 will be issued for those eligible students that 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 2020-21 school year P-EBT eligibility criteria.
​Will there be more P-EBT benefits?
It is possible that additional P-EBT benefits will be available to families over the summer months. Future extensions are based on the ongoing need caused by COVID-19 during the public health emergency declaration. Avoid delays in accessing potential future benefits by keeping the P-EBT 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.


​​More information ​

​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.

​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 any 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.