MISD families eligible for Pandemic-related benefits

Marlin Independent School District announced last week that all families with students in the district qualifying for free or reduced lunch will be eligible for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT).

“P-EBT is a one-time benefit for families issued through an EBT card (like a debit card). Families receive up to $285 per eligible child,” reads a letter circulated to eligible families. 

This will allow families to purchase food at any retailer that accepts a Texas Lone Star card.

P-EBT food benefits are for children who received SNAP food benefits for March 2020 and children who are certified for free or reduced-price school meals during the 2019-20 Texas school year, according to the Texas Health and Human Services website.

Families who received SNAP benefits for children ages five to eighteen for the month of March 2020 should have automatically received their P-EBT benefits on May 22 on their current Lone Star card.

No further action is required by those families, but families with children up to 21 years old who are certified to receive free or reduced-price meals during the 2019-20 school year or who received SNAP benefits in March 2020 for children 0-5 or 18-19 will need to apply for P-EBT online. 

The application can be found at https://yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT and will close on June 30. If an application is approved, a P-EBT card will be sent to the address on file. Benefits will be available for up to one year from the date issued and are non-transferable.

Because of school closures from COVID-19, Texas received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide more than $1 billion in pandemic food benefits. For more information, please visit hhs.texas.gov/PEBT or call 1(833)613-6220.