Kentucky Families: More P-EBT Funds Hit Your Card This Week

Money, Money, Money, MONEYYYY!!! Numerous families across Kentucky received another P-EBT payment. Have you checked your card or cards? Funds arrived this week. Here's what we know.

The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer Stimulus (P-EBT) for short was meant to help families who had children learning virtually due to COVID-19. The program is offered through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

This card gives families the opportunity to purchase food that will help to replace or replenish the food used in their homes while the kids have been learning virtually.

Those kids that are eligible to receive the cards are those that qualify for free or reduced meals at school or the children who attend a school that is involved with the National School Lunch Program. For example, all Owensboro Public School students are part of the National School Lunch/Breakfast programs so all students no matter of income status. Any student learning publicly or privately is eligible.

Even more exciting news for families the Cabinet for Health and Family Services has received approval to issue P-EBT benefits to eligible children ages 0-5 and summer EBT benefits for eligible children ages 0-5 and those in school.

Here are the guidelines for children to qualify for the funding:

Available to eligible children for the summer of 2021 while children are not in school.
All children who received P-EBT during the 2020-2021 school year are eligible.
Benefits will be loaded onto P-EBT cards or SNAP EBT cards if the family receives SNAP benefits.
Benefits will be one lump sum of $375– schedule of benefits will be issued the week of August 23^rd.

Families who have already received benefits do not have to do anything. The funds will be placed on your cards this week. If your family receives SNAP benefits the funds will be put on the head of the household card.

If you haven't signed up for a card or have never received one your child is most likely eligible. If you need any assistance, call the Department for Community Based Services call center at 855-306-8959. You will need to have the student’s full name, date of birth, and State Student ID (SSID) number when you call.

When you get your card all you have to do is call 1-888-979-9949 and set up your 4-digit pin. They suggest using the last four digits of your social security number but I chose a different pin for each of my children. You will also need the date of birth and zip code of each child who received a card Once you activate your card you are free to use it anywhere that accepts EBT. You can also download the ebtEDGE app. The app allows you to check your balance from your phone. You must know the balance of the card each time you use it.

Here is a list of items you can and cannot purchase according to Cabinet for Family & Health Services;

Fruits and vegetables

Meat, poultry, fish dairy products

Bread and cereals

Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages

Seeds and plants which produce food for the child to eat

Households may not use P-EBT benefits to buy:

Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, tobacco

Vitamins, medicines, supplements Items with a supplement facts label are considered supplements and not eligible for P-EBT purchase.

Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from the water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).

Prepared foods fit for immediate consumption

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