P-EBT Information
Who is eligible to receive P-EBT benefits?
P-EBT benefits are only available to students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals or attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, enrolled in a school which participates in the NSLP, and for school days the eligible student was/is not receiving in-person instruction (school closures, virtual/remote instruction, absences, quarantine, etc.). The USDA has approved a simplifying assumption that allows Pennsylvania to issue a standard partial benefit amount across the state for students that were/are both in person and virtual (blended).
Who is not eligible to receive P-EBT benefits?
Children are not eligible to receive P-EBT benefits if they:
- attend in person on all school days;
- are home schooled;
- attend cyber charter school (this does not include virtual/remote learning under the operational control of a school board);
- attend a school in another state (i.e., NY, NJ, MD, OH); or
- attend a school that does not participate in NSLP.
The following online P-EBT Inquiry Form is available if the parent/guardian believes they should have already received P-EBT benefits at https://www.emergencymealsurvey.com/PA.
P-EBT Information Update (8/19/21)
- All parent or guardian inquiries should be directed to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Customer Service Line (484-363-2137); or the web form available at https://forms.juvare.com/forms/eb604f74-e01c-463e-82ea-04c416a5c9c5. PDE does not have access to P-EBT information and cannot provide assistance or guidance.
- The first issuance of P-EBT benefits for the 2020-21 school year was completed at the end of July 2021, except for students that were newly eligible based on the second data submission for the 2020-21 school year - cards will be mailed to newly eligible students at the end of August/early September.
- Parents and guardians are encouraged to visit the DHS P-EBT website: https://www.dhs.pa.gov/coronavirus/Pages/P-EBT-Questions.aspx/. The DHS P-EBT website offers contact information, important dates, answers to frequently asked questions, etc.
NOTE: inquires must be submitted via the Inquiry Form or Resource Line. Inquiries are responded to in the order in which they are received. Parents or guardians should not submit duplicate inquiries as it will delay the resolution process. - Parents/guardians can check their P-EBT benefit amount online via: http://www.connectebt.com/.