Do your kids receive free or reduced-price school lunches? WA summer food aid coming
For families who qualify for federal assistance with the Basic Food program and children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, more food relief is coming soon.
Called Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT, the food benefits will be distributed to eligible families so they have food during the summer. The benefits can be used to shop at any grocery store, farmers market or food retailer that accepts EBT card payments, according to a news release from the state Department of Social and Health Services.
The program is funded through federal COVID-19 relief dollars from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Families should start receiving benefits later this month and through the end of the season.
Qualifying children younger than 6 will receive a one-time sum of $391 per child to cover July and August, if they currently receive Basic Food assistance. K-12 students enrolled in free or reduced-price school meal programs also are eligible.
According to the news release, the first two rounds of benefits provided food to more than 400,000 children in Washington in 2020 and 2021. Citing June census data, DSHS says nearly 1 in 10 households in the state reported not having enough food for their households in the last seven days.
Families must complete a free and reduced-price meal program application through their school district, or apply and be approved for Basic Food assistance by Aug. 31 to receive aid, according to the release. Families can sign up for text alerts about the status of their child’s P-EBT benefits by registering online.
This story was originally published July 18, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
.jpg)