OLGT 2021-24: Pandemic EBT for Children 0-5 Years and New P-EBT Benefit Amounts

The Continuing Appropriations Act of 2021 has extended Pandemic EBT (P- EBT), a provision initially included in The Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This is a food benefit for families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through the federal School Breakfast Program and/or National School Lunch Program. These food benefits are meant to compensate for the value of school lunch and breakfast for each eligible child.

Massachusetts recently received approval from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to amend its current P-EBT plan. This approval expands P-EBT benefits to children, age 0 to 5 years old, who have been an active or ineligible member in a SNAP household as of October 1, 2020. The plan also modified the monthly P-EBT benefit amounts as follows:

• Children enrolled in a hybrid learning model will receive $68.20 in P-EBT benefits for the reported month.

• Children enrolled in a fully remote learning model will receive $136.40 in P-EBT benefits for the reported month.

• Children, 0-5 years old who are present in an active SNAP household, will receive a P-EBT benefit amount corresponding to the learning model that was most commonly reported by DESE statewide for school- aged children in a given month.