Your Questions about P-EBT Answered

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer)

Why did I receive a P-EBT card in the mail? I don’t think my family qualifies for this
benefit.
Your child has received a P-EBT card because the school they attend is participating in one of
two federal programs to help maximize federally funded free school meals and reduce the need
for families to share their household income every school year. These programs are called
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision II*. Many schools in Maine have recently
switched to operating through CEP or Provision II which is why your child may be receiving this
benefit for the first time. If you do not wish to use P-EBT you can simply cut up and discard the
card. Unused funds are automatically returned to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

What is P-EBT?
P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer) is a federal program administered by the state
which provides additional nutrition support for households with children to replace or
supplement school breakfast and lunch missed due to Covid and during the summer. The
P-EBT benefits for last school year and this past summer have recently been issued to most
children in Maine. The Department issued P-EBT cards to eligible families consistent with
federal guidelines using federal funding with average benefit per month ranging from $40 to
$120 per child, per month. This month’s benefits issuance marks the final round of P-EBT
payments, and families that received cards are encouraged to use these federally funded
benefits to provide additional nutritious foods for their households. Families who do not wish to
use the cards can cut up and discard them. Unused benefits will be automatically returned to the
U.S. Department of Agriculture in nine months.

When will I receive my child’s P-EBT?
Families that receive SNAP or that already have a P-EBT card received benefits in September.
P-EBT cards for new participants were mailed in September.

What is P-EBT? Why is this happening?
More families have received this latest and last round of P-EBT due to more schools
participating in Community Eligibility Provision and Provision II, federal programs that help
schools maximize federally funded free school meals and reduce the need for households to
share their income with schools every year. In a state with the highest rate of childhood food
insecurity in New England, and during a time when child poverty has doubled, P-EBT is an
important resource for many Maine families.

40% of food insecure households in Maine are ineligible for nutrition assistance like SNAP. “The
federal poverty guidelines are outdated and don’t reflect the actual need in our communities.
Many families are experiencing food insecurity but don’t qualify for federal assistance..” said
Anna Korsen, policy and program director with Full Plates. “Determining eligibility for P-EBT
based on whether a child is eligible for SNAP or free school meals would have meant that many
children would have missed out on this critical benefit in a time when hunger is again on the
rise. Instead of criticizing this broad issuance of benefits, we should be sharing a collective sigh
of relief that so many families have just received extra help with groceries. Only 5.8% of
households in Maine have high income, and any family that doesn’t need or want the benefit
doesn’t need to use it.”

This month’s benefits issuance marks the final round of P-EBT payments to eligible families and
includes the Summer P-EBT benefit. Families that received cards are encouraged to use these
federally funded benefits to provide additional nutritious foods for their households. Families
who do not wish to use the cards can discard them and those unused benefits will be returned
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Courtesy of Anna Korsen, Policy and Program Director for Full Plates Full Potential
www.fullplates.org