Eligible children who did not receive assistance through the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program for the 2020-2021 school year will receive a retroactive benefit payment beginning March 4, according to a press release by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS). This single retroactive payment will be sent to children who experienced a change in P-EBT eligibility status during the 2020-2021 school year, or were not accounted for initially.
P-EBT cards are used as a debit card to purchase food at participating grocers and online stores.
“The COVID-19 pandemic caused much uncertainty and changes to daily routines for families, especially those that rely on school meals,” TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter said in a statement. “In partnership with TDOE, we’ve taken steps to ensure that all children eligible for P-EBT receive the benefit, despite fluctuations and changes that occurred during the last school year.”
Eligibility for P-EBT is based on National School Lunch Program qualification and school attendance related to COVID-19, according to the press release. P-EBT is administered by TDHS in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE).
Retroactive P-EBT is available to children who did not receive P-EBT that they qualified for in the 2020-2021 school year (also known as P-EBT Round 2 and 3) but would have based on their National School Lunch Program (NSLP) eligibility and attendance related to COVID-19, the press release notes. Some children were determined as eligible for P-EBT benefits after P-EBT Round 2 and 3 benefits were issued, resulting in the need to issue Retroactive P-EBT benefits.
In general, Retroactive P-EBT is “based on the child qualifying for free or reduced-price school meals later in the school year, and the child missed school meals because the school was closed or operated at reduced attendance for at least 5 consecutive days in the 2020-2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the press release.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “children shopping” by U.S. Department of Agriculture CC BY 2.0.
What’s the matter, haven’t already found enough ways to provide welfare? No wonder no one feels compelled to work.