December 13, 2022 by Clarissa Ayala
Summer 2022 P-EBT Benefits Coming for National School Lunch Program Families
Summer P-EBT (June-August 2022) is for families with children (K-12) who were certified for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2021-2022 school year or during summer 2022. Children born on or after Aug. 1, 2015, who receive SNAP, are eligible for summer P-EBT. It is a one-time benefit of $391 for each eligible child.
Who is eligible?
Families with children born on or after Aug. 1, 2015, who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits.
Childcare-aged children (born on or after Aug. 1, 2015) who received SNAP food benefits at any time between June 2022–August 2022 will automatically receive summer P-EBT benefits on their Lone Star Card.
Children in K–12 who were certified for NSLP or attended a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision 2 (P2) school during the 2021–2022 school year.
This includes children who did not receive 2021–2022 school year P-EBT benefits based on the COVID-related absences provided by their school. Children in K–12 must have been enrolled in a Texas NSLP campus during the last month of the 2021–2022 school year to be eligible.
Children in K–12 during the 2021–2022 school year who became certified for NSLP by submitting an NSLP household application between July 1 and Aug. 29, 2022.
A NSLP household application must have been submitted to the child’s school by Aug. 29 and then certified to be eligible for summer P-EBT benefits. Children in K–12 must have been enrolled in a Texas NSLP campus during the last month of the 2021–2022 school year to be eligible. These children are considered newly-eligible.
Do I have to apply?
No. There is no P-EBT application for summer 2022 P-EBT benefits.
How much money will I receive?
Eligible children will receive a one-time benefit of $391, which covers June 1, 2022 through Aug. 30, 2022.
When will I receive my summer P-EBT benefits?
If your household currently receives SNAP or previously received P-EBT, we’ll put your benefits on your existing Lone Star Card or P-EBT card starting in November, if the information provided by schools/districts matches the information we have. If the information is different, we will send a new P-EBT card in the mail.
If you do not currently receive SNAP and have not received P-EBT benefits before, you will be sent a notice in the mail with a claim code starting in November. You can use this code to claim your child’s P-EBT benefits by going to YourTexasBenefits.com or calling the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255. Detailed instructions are included in the notice. You will have 90 days from the date on the notice to claim your benefits.
Childcare-aged children (born on or after Aug. 1, 2015) who received SNAP food benefits at any time between June 2022–August 2022 will automatically receive summer P-EBT benefits on their Lone Star Card starting in December.
I received a claim code. What do I do next?
If you receive a claim code in the mail for P-EBT benefits, follow these instructions from your notice to claim your child’s P-EBT benefits. To claim your child’s benefits online:
- Log in or create an online account at YourTexasBenefits.com.
- If you have an account, enter your username and password.
- If you do not have an account, click ‘Create a new account.’
- After you log in or create your account, click ‘P-EBT Benefits’ to go to the page where you can enter your claim code.
- To claim your child’s benefits by phone, call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255.
When claiming a child’s benefits using the claim code, online or over the phone, you will also need to provide:
- Your child’s name, Social Security number* (if they have one), and their date of birth; and
- The name of the child’s parent or guardian, the parent or guardian’s Social Security number* (if they have one), and their date of birth.
- *Social Security numbers are preferred, but not required.
After you claim your child’s benefits using the claim code online or over the phone, their benefits will be processed within two business days. You will receive a P-EBT card in the mail with your child’s benefits loaded on it.
If my school gives free meals, am I eligible for the National School Lunch Program?
Free meals provided at a school may or may not be from the NSLP. Some Texas school campuses have offered free meals to all students due to the public health emergency. Receiving these free meals at school does not automatically make a student eligible for P-EBT. It is important to note that NSLP benefits require individual income eligibility unless a child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision 2 (P2) school.
If my child doesn’t receive summer P-EBT benefits and is eligible, what should I do?
A review of your benefits can be requested between Jan. 9 and April 7, 2023. To request a review, call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central time.
After your request is submitted, HHS will review the benefit decision and contact your child’s school for more information. The review process can take two to five weeks to complete.
If the review determines your child was eligible for summer P-EBT, those benefits will be issued to your Lone Star Card or P-EBT Card, or claim code will be sent by USPS mail.
Requests for review of a benefit decision can only be submitted once per household, and all review decisions are final.
How do I ensure no one steals my benefits?
Protect yourself against fraud. P-EBT recipients should take actions that may help prevent card skimming. For example:
- Keep your PIN secret. Do not share your PIN with anyone outside your household. Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN on a machine. Thieves notice when large deposits, like Pandemic-EBT Benefits, are made. We recommend you change your PIN after every use when there is a large balance. If your EBT card numbers are copied by a Skimmer machine, you may avoid theft by changing your PIN immediately after each use, before the Skimmer has time to hack into your account and steal your information. There is no limit on how many times you can change your PIN.
- Check your EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges. If you notice any, change your PIN immediately to stop the thief from making any new purchases.
- When making purchases, check to make sure there’s nothing suspicious attached to the card swiper or keypad. These can be difficult to detect, but are often bigger than the original machine and may hide parts of the machine. Try to avoid small corner store purchases or frequent visits to the grocery store for a few items. Prepare a comprehensive grocery list and only shop once a week or, if possible, once a month. If you have small pantry and freezer space, you will have to shop more often, but you should try to limit the number of times you use the P-EBT card as much as possible.
If you believe you are the victim of card skimming and benefits were stolen from your P-EBT card, contact your local SNAP office.
I have more questions.
You can call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Central time.
If you or someone you know needs legal help, applications for free legal assistance are taken online at www.lonestarlegal.org or by phone at 1-800-733-8394.
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Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. LSLA focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety, stability, health, and wellbeing; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, the aging, survivors of crime and disasters, the unemployed and underemployed, the unhoused, those with limited English language skills, and the LGBTQIA+ community. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
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