Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) SNAP Benefit for Eligible Children of Free/Reduced Priced Meals Issued for August and September 2020

12/11/2020

Information Memo

Summary

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) SNAP benefits for eligible children who are participating in the National School Lunch Program and are in remote only learning have been issued for the months of August 2020 and September 2020.


Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) gave States the option to extend P-EBT SNAP benefits for eligible children who are participating in the National School Lunch Program and are in remote only learning during the months of August 2020 and September 2020.

P-EBT SNAP Eligibility

  • Illinois chose to extend P-EBT SNAP benefits to children who are participating in the National School Lunch Program; and
    • are in remote only learning during the months of August 2020 and September 2020; and
    • either included in an active SNAP case for August 2020 and September 2020; or
    • approved for P-EBT during the spring.
  • The amount was based on the number of school days each child met the eligibility requirements of missing 5 consecutive school days without access to a meal provided at the school, as reported by the school district to the Illinois State Board of Education.

First Issuance

On September 29, 2020, Illinois provided the first issuance of P-EBT SNAP benefits for the months of August and September to eligible students whose school districts identified them as eligible and in remote only learning.

Benefit Month # of Households # of children Total Benefit Amount
August 154,315 261,933 $13,816,133.72
September 294,866 497,830 $54,215,694.50
Total 295,855 499,460 $68,031,828.22

Second Issuance

A second issuance will occur on November 24, 2020 and December 8, 2020. FNS has allowed Illinois to correct and approve additional P-EBT SNAP benefits for children who were identified as eligible by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) but were not originally approved because of a data error.

Benefit Month # of Households # of children Total Benefit Amount
August 2,502 4,030 $210,291.96
September 4,567 7,357 $802,468.40
Total 4,578 7,380 $1,012,760.36

P-EBT SNAP Benefits not Issued

Extended P-EBT SNAP benefits were not issued if one of the following conditions occurred:

  • The child was not included in an active SNAP case for August 2020 and September 2020 or did not receive P-EBT benefits during the spring.
  • The child was either not enrolled in a remote only school district or a school district with a hybrid learning plan as of June 2020.
  • If in a hybrid school district, the school did not indicate the child met the eligibility requirements of missing 5 consecutive school days without access to a meal provided at the school.

P-EBT Link Accounts

  • P-EBT Link accounts are managed the same as a regular benefit Link account. The first card for P-EBT SNAP benefits is issued by the Link contractor to the customer and is different in appearance from the regular Link card.
  • Once P-EBT benefits have been issued, a customer should have the opportunity to access benefits immediately to help with the purchase of food during the pandemic. If needed, replacement cards can be issued by the Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) with supervisor discretion, such as it has been more than 10 days since the customer was mailed a card and has not received it. The regular blue Link card is mailed as the replacement card.

Will P-EBT SNAP Benefits be issued after September?

Yes. legislation was recently passed to allow P-EBT SNAP benefits beyond September 2020. The State is in the planning stage for the remainder of the 2020/2021 school year.

P-EBT SNAP Benefits (IDHS 4980)

The P-EBT SNAP Benefits flyer has been removed from the DHS website.

Customer Inquiry

If there are questions that the FCRC or call center staff cannot resolve, customers should be directed to DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms Referenced:

IDHS 4980