Pandemic EBT Information
P-EBT SY 2022-2023
FNS
has approved Nevada’s P-EBT plan for the 2022-2023 school year. Eligibility for
P-EBT benefits for the 2022-2023 school year has changed from previous
years. DWSS will issue a Summer P-EBT benefit only to students
in grades K-12 who were enrolled and eligible for the Free or Reduced Lunch
Program (FRL) through the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Please note, benefits will only be issued to those 2022-2023 FRL eligible
students who were enrolled in school through the end of the 2022-2023 school
year. Once those benefits are issued,
there will be no further benefit issuances. Please review the
questions and answers on this page to better understand the program and what
makes students eligible for benefits for this school year.
P-EBT SY 2021-2022
P-EBT Informational Flyer SY 2021-2022 - English
P-EBT Informational Flyer SY 2021-2022 - Spanish
General Information
What is the P-EBT, or Pandemic EBT Emergency School Meals Program?
The Families First Coronavirus
Relief Act (FFCRA); Continuing Appropriation Act, 2020, and other extensions
acts allows children who are enrolled and eligible for free or
reduced-price meals through the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Program (NSLP) to receive a food benefit via an electronic benefit
card for the covered summer period for the 2022-2023 school year. The
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 signed by President Biden includes a
provision that requires that the Summer P-EBT benefit be no more than $120. Therefore,
students eligible for Summer P-EBT will receive a one-time benefit of $120. Who runs the P-EBT program?
The P-EBT program is overseen by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is administered in Nevada by the Nevada
Division of Welfare and Supportive Services Central Office P-EBT unit, in
cooperation with the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) and the Nevada
Department of Agriculture (NDA).
Can P-EBT affect my or my family's immigration status?
No. You will not be asked about your or your child's immigration status
or citizenship. P-EBT is not considered under a Public Charge. P-EBT Eligibility
Who is eligible for P-EBT benefits?
Children
enrolled in school (Grades K-12)Students
who are enrolled and eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) through the end of the
2022-2023 school year. All eligible students will receive a Summer
P-EBT benefit in the amount of $120.
Childcare
aged children not enrolled in school
Childcare aged children (ages 0-6) who received SNAP benefits in
Nevada in the months of September 2022 through June 2023, are eligible to
receive a school year P-EBT benefit for the months in which they received SNAP
from September 2022 through June 2023. Benefit amounts will not be determined until
after the 2022-2023 school year has completed but parents should expect to
receive a benefit amount ranging between $15-$25 for each eligible month. Summer
P-EBT eligibility for Childcare aged children was based on the Federal Public
Health Emergency (PHE) being in place. Since
the PHE was lifted on May 11, 2023, childcare aged children are not eligible to
for the Summer P-EBT benefit.
Will benefits be loaded on my old card? I threw away my old P-EBT card because I thought it was a one-time thing. How do I get a new one?
No.
As P-EBT is a COVID-19 related program and is not a permanent ongoing program,
new P-EBT cards will be issued for the 2022-2023 school year. In order to
ensure that you receive your benefit card timely, please update your mailing
address with the school that your child was enrolled in by the end of the
2022-2023 school year.
Students
on a SNAP and/or TANF case will receive their P-EBT benefit on their
household’s existing EBT card if the head of household on that case is also
listed as the Primary Guardian in the school’s registration system for the 2022-2023
school year.
I didn't apply for free or reduced school meals because we were distance learning, how can I apply for P-EBT?
There is no application process
for the P-EBT Program, however, Students must be enrolled in
the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) through the end of
the 2022-2023 school year to be eligible for P-EBT
benefits. Enrollment in the NSLP is done either through an
application process with the student’s school or they may be automatically enrolled
by the school if the student attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
school.
Please
note, P-EBT eligibility is determined on a school year basis. In
order to be eligible for P-EBT benefits, students must be enrolled in a school that
participates in the Richard
B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
through the end of the 2022-2023 school year. They must also be enrolled in and
eligible for the Free or Reduced Lunch Program for the 2022-2023 school year.
Additionally, children that attended school virtually during the 2022-2023
school year would only be eligible for P-EBT benefits if the school that they
attended participated in the NSLP. Students enrolled in virtual academies
are not eligible for P-EBT benefits.
I didn't receive P-EBT last year, will I receive them this year?
Will my graduated senior receive P-EBT?
If your child
graduated and was enrolled in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Program (NSLP) and met the P-EBT eligibility criteria for the intended year of
the P-EBT benefits, then they would be eligible.
Do my charter school child/children qualify for P-EBT benefits if they were receiving free and/or reduced-price meals?
The
program is available for any student who was enrolled in, and their school
participated in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and
met the P-EBT eligibility criteria for the intended year of the P-EBT benefits. What if I have shared custody of my children?
Children who are eligible for P-EBT will have
their card sent in
the child’s name to the address of the individual listed as the Primary Guardian in
the school's registration system for the school year that the P-EBT benefits
are intended. P-EBT benefits cannot be split on two cards, but
parents are encouraged to share a P-EBT card if custody is shared.
This is for P-EBT benefits only and does not
apply to any other benefits administered by the Division of Welfare and
Supportive Services.
My child's non-custodial parent got last year's benefit sent to them, will they get it this year?
It depends on who is listed as
the Primary Guardian in your child’s school registration system (for example:
Infinite Campus) during the school year that the P-EBT benefits are
intended. My family receives SNAP benefits and received SNAP Emergency Allotment supplements. Will this have any effect on if or when my qualified child/children will receive the P-EBT food benefits?
P-EBT benefits are NOT SNAP benefits. Therefore, eligibility for or receipt of P-EBT benefits is not affected by your receipt of SNAP or the SNAP Emergency Allotment supplements. Can children still get meals from schools or other organizations if we get P-EBT?
Yes. Receiving P-EBT benefits will not affect a child’s ability to
receive meals from schools or other organizations Receiving and Using P-EBT Benefits
When will my benefit arrive?
P-EBT
benefit cards will begin to be issued in mid-July 2023 and continue through
September 2023.
Please
note, for P-EBT only cases, you should expect to receive your P-EBT card 4-6
weeks after the benefits are issued. This is to allow the card vendor
adequate processing time.
What should I do when I receive my P-EBT card in the mail?
P-EBT benefits may expire after 274 days if the card is left
dormant. As soon as you receive your P-EBT card, please refer to the
instructions on the P-EBT insert to activate the benefits by creating a
four-digit PIN. In an effort to avoid benefit expungement, DWSS advises
customers to make a small purchases with their P-EBT cards each month which
will reset the 274 expungement calendar. What food can I buy with my P-EBT benefits?
Covered by P-EBT:
Breads and cereals
Fruits and vegetables
Meats, fish, and poultry
Dairy products
Seeds and plants that produce food
Not covered by P-EBT:
Beer, wine or liquor
Cigarettes or tobacco
Vitamins and medicines
Food that can be eaten in-store
Prepared foods
Non-food items
Pet food, soaps, paper products and household supplies How do I use the P-EBT benefits?
A P-EBT card is used like a bank debit card to buy food in any SNAP-certified store: most grocery stores, farmer’s markets, some corner stores, or to buy groceries online at Amazon, Walmart, and Save-Mart (depending on your area). To find an authorized retail food store near you, use the SNAP Retailer Locator.
Families can also visit EBTEdge online or download the EBT Edge mobile app from the Apple or Google Play stores to find retailers that accept EBT cards.
To use your card at checkout:
Select "EBT"
Swipe the card
Enter your private four-digit PIN
What should I do if I am having issues activating my new P-EBT card?
Questions?
Contact the P-EBT Center - Northern Nevada at 1-775-684-8740 or Southern Nevada at 1-702-486-9640.
Please note, that DWSS, NDA, and NDE frontline staff will not be able to assist you with any P-EBT inquiries or issues. Additionally, P-EBT cards must be issued through the P-EBT call center as well as the FIS customer service representatives.
Operating hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (excluding state and federal holidays).