Missouri Department of Social Services extending deadline for P-EBT benefits

Missouri’s Department of Social Services has extended the deadline for families to apply for Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transer benefits to August 20, 2021.

A news release from the Department of Social Services states, “P-EBT helps families with students who qualified for free or reduced-price meals during the previous 2020-2021 school year cover the extra household food costs the pandemic caused. A child may be eligible for P-EBT if the school was not doing in-seat learning or had reduced hours at least five school days in a row due to COVID-19. The P-EBT benefit amount is based on the school’s report of time that was not in-seat learning. If most of the month was not in-seat learning, the monthly P-EBT benefit is $129.58, if only some of the month was not in-seat learning, the monthly P-EBT benefit is $77.75.”

These points were also provided in the news release:

• All families must apply to get the P-EBT benefit, regardless of whether or not they receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
• Program (SNAP)/Food Stamp benefits.
  P-EBT benefits are available for the months of September 2020 through May 2021.
• Families download the P-EBT application (aplicación en Español)
• Each eligible student will get an EBT card in the student’s name with the lump sum P-EBT benefit amount for the school year. Ineligible families will receive a denial letter.
• SNAP households with an eligible child under age six automatically get the P-EBT benefit added to the household’s existing EBT card. No application is necessary for P-EBT benefits for children under age six.

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