P-EBT Extension

P-EBT is a federal program. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in collaboration with the California Department of Education (CDE), received approval to operate the program in response to COVID-19 related school closures. P-EBT provides food benefits to help families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals through the federal School Breakfast or National School Lunch Programs.

Over the summer of 2020, P-EBT provided food benefits to eligible school aged children for the months of March, April, May, and June 2020. Recently, California was approved to provide additional P-EBT benefits to children who already received P-EBT benefits for the months of August and September 2020. This is referred to as the “P-EBT Extension.”

Children eligible for P-EBT extension benefits:

• Previously received P-EBT benefits for the 2019-20 school year;
• Are attending a California K-12 school for the 2020-21 school year; and
• Are assumed to be attending school virtually or via a hybrid model of virtual and in-person instruction for the 2020-21 school year.

Under the P-EBT extension, each eligible child will receive a new P-EBT card with P-EBT benefits for the months of August and September 2020. These new P-EBT cards will be mailed directly to families in late October through late December. Eligible families do not need to apply to receive P-EBT extension benefits.

For more information visit: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/home/pandemic-ebt, see attached flyer or if you have questions about your P-EBT benefits, call the P-EBT Helpline at (877) 328-9677. Please note, they cannot assist you with questions about P-EBT eligibility or issuing new benefits.