Courtesy of JMCSS and TN Dept. of human Services
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced USDA approval to administer Round 3 of the P-EBT program from October 2020 and through the remainder of the semester, according to a news release from the Jackson-Madison County School System. Parents with children in the Jackson-Madison County School System will have access to online support to stay up-to-date on eligibility status and P-EBT benefit amounts.
The P-EBT Parent Portal, a DHS platform scheduled to go live on Friday, February 26, will allow parents to check the address on file and make changes if necessary. Parents will be able to talk with the virtual agent AVA.
“For students who are already receiving EBT/SNAP benefits, the P-EBT benefits will not be loaded onto their EBT/SNAP Card. New individual cards will be mailed,” said Alison Pyron, School Nutrition Supervisor for JMCSS.
P-EBT, or Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer, is a federal program under USDA Food and Nutrition Services that provides financial assistance to replace meals children, who were receiving free and reduced-price school meals, missed during closures.
“Because of the Community Eligibility Provision, all JMCSS students are eligible for free school meals and P-EBT assistance. There is no application process for families with students in our schools,” Pyron said.
Each eligible student will be provided a new P-EBT card. Unlike prior P-EBT rounds, this card will be reloaded each month through the end of the school year. Over the next few weeks, eligible students will receive funds for October and November school days. Parents and guardians are reminded to keep their newly mailed cards; eligible students will receive P-EBT funds on their card on the 20th of each month for the remaining 2020-2021 school year.
If parents have issues or concerns regarding P-EBT, they are encouraged to call 833-496-0661 for the P-EBT Customer Assistance line.