Pandemic EBT (P-EBT)

2019-2020

UPDATED October 28, 2020--Children enrolled in school meals program received additional, emergency SNAP benefits through the ‘Pandemic EBT’ program

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) provided the families of approximately 287,743 public school students and 2,219 private school students who participated in the free or reduced-price meals program during the 2019-2020 school year with additional, emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits under the federal Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program to ensure that the children continued to receive nutritious meals while learning from home during the pandemic.

Initially, when schools were slated to reopen on May 20, the state received federal approval to provide $71.3 million in EBT benefits.  That amount, however, increased to $105.7 million when the decision was made to cancel in-person classes for the remainder of the academic year.  The emergency SNAP funding for children who participated in the free or reduced-price meals program was authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Altogether, DSS estimates that it issued approximately $34 million in additional food benefits to nearly 55,200 SNAP-eligible households and $71.7 million in food benefits to about 140,000 households not currently enrolled in SNAP. DSS partnered with the Connecticut State Department of Education on the plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.

Specifically:

  • Pandemic EBT SNAP benefits were deposited in the EBT accounts of nearly 55,200 households currently enrolled in SNAP on Sunday, May 24.  An additional 800 households enrolled in the Temporary Family Assistance Program (TFA), but not currently enrolled in SNAP, also received Pandemic EBT SNAP benefits in their EBT accounts at that time.
  • Pandemic EBT SNAP debit cards were mailed on Friday, June 5, to over 73,000 households currently enrolled in Medicaid (Husky A) with DSS. Pandemic EBT SNAP benefits were deposited in these EBT accounts on Sunday, June 7.
  • Pandemic EBT SNAP debit cards started being mailed beginning on Friday, June 19, to over 85,000 children not currently enrolled in SNAP, TFA, or Medicaid, but who were receiving Free or Reduced Priced Meals at school, and DSS deposited Pandemic EBT SNAP benefits into their new EBT accounts on Sunday, June 21.  This part of the Pandemic EBT program involves the Community Eligibility Program, or CEP.  Authorized by the federal government as a part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, CEP allows schools or school districts that predominantly serve low-income children to offer free, nutritious school meals to all students enrolled in that school or school district through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP).

Please follow this link for an informational pamphlet mailed to households with their EBT cards

Benefits can be used at any location that accepts SNAP/EBT cards. This includes famers’ markets and direct market farms. Pandemic EBT participants also have online access to eligible food purchases through delivery or curbside pickup implemented in the overall SNAP program, now available for all households.

Families did not need to apply for Pandemic EBT benefits, as children were automatically eligible because in-person classes were not in session. The one-time benefit was $364.80 per child enrolled in the free and reduced-price meals program.

Follow this link for a list of Frequently Asked Questions.