Overview

NEW! ‘Pandemic EBT’ Child Care program bringing extra food benefits to over 57,300 young children in Connecticut on August 13.

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), in consultation with the Connecticut Department of Education, today announced that $8.8 million in special food assistance benefits are scheduled to be distributed Sunday, August 13, 2023, to the families of 57,313 children under age 6 and who were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

Specific information about the August 13 distribution of Pandemic EBT Child Care benefits:

• DSS expects to deposit benefits onto existing SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on August 13, 2023, to over 42,635 households (57,313 eligible children) who were under age 6 and receiving SNAP benefits from DSS between September 1, 2022, and May 11, 2023.
• The planned one-time additional benefit is $172.72 per child who received SNAP benefits for the entire covered period.
• Children who did not receive SNAP benefits for the entire covered period will receive a lower, pro-rated amount of P-EBT benefits.
• More information regarding P-EBT benefits for children in school will be released in the near future.  
• Families do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits, as DSS uses SNAP eligibility information to determine if children are eligible for P-EBT Child Care benefits.

Benefits can be used at any location that accepts SNAP/EBT cards. This includes famers markets and direct market farms.

P-EBT participants also have online access to eligible food purchases through delivery or curbside pickup at participating retailers ACME, Aldi, Amazon, Balducci’s, Big Y, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Food Bazaar, Geissler’s Supermarket, Kings Food Markets, Price Chopper / Market 32, Price Rite, Sam’s Club Scan & Go, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods Additional information on that is available at www.ct.gov/snap.

Food budgets can be stretched further with WIC. Households with kids under age 5, new parents, and pregnant or breastfeeding women may be eligible to receive healthy foods, free nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to helpful resources. To apply or learn more, visit portal.ct.gov/DPH/WIC/WIC.

All children up to five years of age receiving SNAP benefits are also eligible for FREE Head Start/Early Head Start programming. Head Start provides programs that develop early learning skills, healthy lifestyles, language and literacy skills, and other academic needs. Visit https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/article/head-start-programs or contact OEC.HSCollaboration@ct.gov for more information on this FREE program and how to enroll.

DSS received information from the CT State Department of Education to implement the P-EBT Child Care plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. The P-EBT Child Care SNAP funding was authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, with additional amendments made in the Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act of 2021, as well as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

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P-EBT is a federal program. The Department of Social Services (DSS), in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), has operated P-EBT in response to the COVID-19 related school closures for the 2019 – 2020, 2020 – 2021, and 2021 – 2022 school years. P-EBT provides food supports to help families with children who were receiving free and reduced-price school meals pay for food. Due to the ending of the Federal Public Health Emergency, there will only be one distribution of benefits for the 2022 – 2023 SY and subsequent summer.

Please follow this link for an informational pamphlet about P-EBT.

Families do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits, as DSS and the Department of Education use attendance information provided by schools to determine if children are eligible for P-EBT. 

DSS and the Department of Education are partnering to implement the P-EBT plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.  The P-EBT SNAP funding for children who participate in the free or reduced-price meals program was authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, with additional amendments made in the Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act of 2021, as well as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

How do I know if my child qualifies for P-EBT?

There are two ways a child is eligible for P-EBT benefits:

1. The child was eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program during the 2022 – 2023 school year. This includes children in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools.
2. The child was under the age of 6 as of September 1, 2022, and was receiving SNAP benefits at any point between September 2022 and May 11, 2023.

For more information about who is eligible for P-EBT benefits, follow this link.

How will I get the P-EBT benefits?

• If your child receives SNAP or TFA benefits on an EBT card, or previously received P-EBT benefits on an EBT card, benefits will be added to that EBT card.
• If your child has not received P-EBT benefits previously, and only receives Medicaid from DSS, a P-EBT card will be issued in the Medicaid Head of Household’s name to the address on file with DSS.
• If your child has not received P-EBT benefits previously and does not receive benefits from DSS or is a private school student, a P-EBT card will be issued in the student’s name to the address on file with their school.

For Information on how to PIN your EBT card or use your benefits, follow this link.

Note: If you do not use your benefits for a period of 274 days from the date they were deposited onto your card, the benefits will be taken off of the card and returned to the federal government. This is called having your benefits “expunged”. DSS will not reissue or replace expunged benefits and cannot replace stolen P-EBT Benefits.