Pandemic EBT Information
P-EBT SY 2021-2022
Eligibility for P-EBT benefits for the 2021-2022
school year has changed from previous years.
The benefits that will be issued are based on the 2021-2022 school year
(August 2021-June 2022). 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 2020-2021
*The
information below is for SY 2020-2021 ONLY*
There are no further
benefits issued for SY 2020-2021 school year.
DWSS staff are working through returned P-EBT mail and contacting Primary
Guardians as listed in the 2020-2021 school’s registration system for updated
addresses when not provided by the USPS.
2020-2021 Primary Guardians can update their address in the P-EBT
section of the DWSS Access Nevada website. Please
note that this updated address feature is for P-EBT card issuance purposes only
and only for cards not yet received from the 2020-2021 school year. DWSS
will not report this data to any school and strongly encourages parents to
ensure that their address is up to date with their child’s school registration
system for the 2021-2022 school year.
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 days that they did not receive a meal
service at the school because of a COVID related absence or school closure.
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, 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?
Students who are
enrolled and eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2021-2022 school year. For the 2021-2022 school year, students are
only eligible for P-EBT benefits for days that they did not receive a meal
service at the school because of a COVID related absence or school
closure. Additionally, students at each
school with qualifying absences will only be eligible for P-EBT benefits once
the school has experienced a closure or had reduced attendance that were COVID
related for 5 consecutive days. 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 2021-2022 school year. To avoid any delays in
receiving the card, it’s important that the student’s primary guardians provide
the most updated address in their child’s school’s registration system. 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
2021-2022 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) 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 the NSLP and actively enrolled during the school
year for which the P-EBT benefits are intended. For example: Students
who received P-EBT benefits for the 2020-2021 school year (August 2020-June
2021) must have been enrolled and eligible for NSLP and attended school during
the 2020-2021 school year.
Additionally,
if your child attended school virtually during the 2021-2022 school year they
would only be eligible for P-EBT benefits if they attended virtually due to
COVID-19. The school that they attended
must also participate 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?
This depends on if you meet the eligibility criteria. Receiving previous
benefits does not guarantee or prevent subsequent benefits. Please note, based
on the P-EBT eligibility rules for the 2021-2022 school year, P-EBT benefits
will only be issued to FRL eligible students who have a qualifying COVID-19
absences or are attending school virtually due to COVID-19. 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. Please
note, based on the P-EBT eligibility rules for the 2021-2022 school year, P-EBT
benefits will only be issued to FRL eligible students who have a qualifying
COVID-19 absences or are attending school virtually due to COVID-19. 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. Please note, based on the P-EBT
eligibility rules for the 2021-2022 school year, P-EBT benefits will only be
issued to FRL eligible students who have a qualifying COVID-19 absences or are
attending school virtually due to COVID-19. 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 for the school year that the P-EBT benefits are
intended. How can I change my address?
For the 2020-2021 school year, the Primary
Guardian can make address updates in the P-EBT section of the DWSS Access
Nevada website (Access Nevada (nv.gov). Please note, this feature
is for 2020-2021 P-EBT card issuance purposes only and for those who
have not yet received their card. DWSS will not report this data to
any school district. 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, P-EBT benefits are based on the 2021-2022
school year and will not affect a student’s ability to receive brown bag meals
from schools or other organizations. The
purpose of the program is to replace free or reduced priced meals that they
would have otherwise received at the school had it not been for a COVID-19
related absence or school closure. Receiving and Using P-EBT Benefits
When will my benefit arrive?
Additional information
regarding benefit issuance will be available once the necessary system updates
for the 2021-2022 school year are completed.
Please refer to the Access Nevada website P-EBT portal for future
updates. Will I get all of my benefits at once or in separate payments?
Additional information
regarding benefit issuance will be available once the necessary system updates
for the 2021-2022 school year are completed.
Please refer to the Access Nevada website P-EBT portal for future
updates.
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. 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.
Operating hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (excluding state and federal holidays).