Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
The USDA has approved the Kansas Department for Children and Families and the Kansas Department of Education’s Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) implementation plan. This program allows Kansas families with children who utilize SNAP or free and reduced-price meals at school, as well as some Kansas kids who utilize child care, to receive benefits on electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that can be used for groceries, much like SNAP food assistance.
With Kansas’s plan approved, qualifying families will begin to receive food benefits as soon as the next six weeks. The amount families receive will be based on the number of children in their household and how long their school district had remote learning due to COVID-19. P-EBT helps families fill the gaps left when families may not have been able to access school meals due to the pandemic.
“Pandemic-EBT benefits are critical for Kansas families,” Jami Reever, Kansas Appleseed Executive Director, said. “Programs like P-EBT, free meals offered through the Summer Food Service Program and more help families stretch their dollars as far as possible during COVID-19.”
USDA approval is the first step. While the state works to bring the plan online, Kansas families who haven’t done so should apply for the free and reduced lunch program to ensure their eligibility. Families who already participate should also verify their application information is up-to-date.
The first round of Pandemic-EBT was made available last spring for Kansas families whose children were out of school due to COVID-19 closures.
The USDA also announced it will expand Pandemic-EBT into the summer months. This means these same families will receive an additional $375 per child to help buy food this summer.
“Thank you to all the work of DCF, KSDE, school districts and their employees, food banks, volunteers, and all those doing everything in their power to fight hunger in Kansas,” Reever said.