(Seguin) – If your child was on free or reduced lunch this past school year, then you more than likely will qualify for some much-needed help with your grocery bill.
Before they are officially out for summer, the Seguin ISD is giving its families a heads up on their eligibility to receive Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Texas Lone Star Card.
They say P-EBT is a one-time benefit of up to $285 and will be issued on an EBT card to assist families during this unanticipated school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Children up to 21 years old who are certified for free or reduced-price meals at school in Texas during the 2019-20 school year and all children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students (Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2) are eligible to receive P-EBT benefits. All families who received SNAP food benefits for March 2020 also qualify.
While applying will be required, families who received SNAP benefits for the month of March 2020 and have children 5-18 years old as of May 17, 2020, do not need to apply for those children. Officials say no further action is required for those families.
Families with children up to 21 years old and who are certified to receive free or reduced-price meals during the 2019-20 school year will need to apply for P-EBT. Eligible families, the first week of June, will receive a school email with a link to the P-EBT application. They will then have until June 30, 2020 to complete the application. Once approved, a P-EBT card will be mailed to their household.
Each family will have one year, from the date the benefits were issued, to use their P-EBT food benefits. P-EBT benefits are non-transferrable.
District officials say this message strictly serves as a reminder for families to be on the lookout for the application link as the summer season begins. P-EBT benefits are also for other families of other districts who also meet the same requirements.