Missouri families who have children that qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school can once more apply for Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to help cover food costs they experienced while their student was not doing in-seat learning due to the pandemic. However, the P-EBT 2020-2021 program is very different from last year’s program. Please review the highlights of those changes below:

• 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.
• A child may be eligible for P-EBT if the school was closed, not doing in-seat learning, or had reduced hours at least five school days in a row due to COVID-19.
• P-EBT benefits are available for the months of September 2020 through May 2021.
• The P-EBT benefit is based on the school’s report of how much of the month was not in-seat learning. If most of the school’s month was not in-seat learning, the monthly P-EBT benefit amount is $129.58. If only some of the school’s month was not in-seat learning, the monthly P-EBT benefit amount is $77.75.
• Families download the P-EBT application (aplicación en Español)
• Families directly email or mail the P-EBT application to the Family Support Division by July 31, 2021.
• Each eligible student will get an EBT card in his or her name with the lump sum P-EBT benefit amount for the 2020-2021 school year. Ineligible families will receive a denial letter.
• Families must directly email or mail the P-EBT application to the Family Support Division address listed on the application by July 31, 2021.
• Families must not submit the application to the school district.

• Each eligible student will get an EBT card in his or her name with the lump sum P-EBT benefit amount for the 2020-2021 school year. Ineligible families will receive a denial letter.

The application can be found on the https://mydss.mo.gov/ website.

Please read the P-EBT FAQs.