Because Dallas ISD offers free meals to all its students, all families are eligible to receive the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), a one-time benefit provided by the State of Texas for eligible families to buy food.
The P-EBT of $285 per child is available for families that may have temporarily lost access to free and reduced-price meals because of school closures due to COVID-19. The amount is based on the average number of days schools are closed for the remainder of the school year.
Families who received benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in March of 2020 will have the benefit deposited into their account. Those families who are not receiving SNAP benefits but whose children attend Dallas ISD schools will have to fill out an application to receive the funds. The state will make the application available to families starting in June.
Children who are eligible are:
- Children up to 21 years old who are certified for free or reduced-price meals at school in Texas during the 2019-2020 school year.
- Children 5-18 years old who received SNAP food benefits for the month of March 2020.
- Children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students, such as Dallas ISD schools
Texas Health and Human Services will put funds in the Lone Star Card accounts of families who get SNAP benefits and whose children are approved for P-EBT. Families who are approved after submitting the application will receive a P-EBT card loaded with benefits from Health and Human Services.
For additional information about the program, visit https://hhs.texas.gov/services/health/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-information-texans/pandemic-ebt-p-ebt-due-covid-19
