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P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer)
Posted on Jun 06 2020
$325 payments are available for school-aged children to make up for loss of school lunches. Applications are open between June 8 and June 30. The details regarding eligibility are below, as well as answers to frequently asked questions from immigrant and refugee families.
What is it?
P-EBT is a one-time payment of $325 per child for families with an EBT card to help fill the gap created by a loss of school meals.
Who is eligible?
Families with children ages 5-18 as of Sept. 1, 2019, are eligible for P-EBT benefits if:
- Their child’s school is closed due to COVID-19; and
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- They were receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) benefits as of March 18, 2020; or
- Their child was receiving free or reduced-price school meals during the 2019-2020 school year; or
- Their child is enrolled in a school that offers free school meals to all students
Are there any immigration status eligibility requirements?
No
Is the receipt of P-EBT benefits a public charge problem for Immigration? In other words, if I receive P-EBT benefits for my children, could I, my children, or another family member be considered a public charge for immigration purposes.
The receipt of P-EBT should not be a problem for public charge. P-EBT is a replacement for free and reduced price school lunch. Free and reduced price school lunch is not a public benefit for public charge. So, the receipt of P-EBT should not be a problem for public charge purposes either. If you have questions about whether the receipt of benefits—including P-EBT—will cause you to be considered a public charge, please contact:
- Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid: 1-800-292-4150 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm) (Accepting calls throughout Minnesota)
- Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services: 1-888-575-2954 (Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 3:00pm) (East metro and Southern Minnesota only)
Do I need to apply for P-EBT or will we receive the payment automatically?
Families with eligible children ages 5-18 who were receiving SNAP and/or MFIP as of March 18 do not need to apply. A one-time payment was automatically issued to their household’s Minnesota EBT card on May 30, 2020.
Families who received free or reduced-price school meals in the 2019-2020 school year or attended a school that offers free school meals to all students – but who were not receiving SNAP or MFIP benefits as of March 18 – must apply online at mn.p-ebt.org between June 8, 2020, and June 30, 2020. Eligible families will receive a Minnesota P-EBT card in the mail within ten days with instructions to activate the card. This card provides access to P-EBT funds.
Websites with more information: