Why families in Stanislaus County are receiving Pandemic EBT cards to buy groceries
Families who receive mail from a South Dakota, P.O. box addressed to a student in the home should treat the envelope as though it contains hundreds of dollars. Because it very likely does.
Extra food benefits are being sent to many Modesto-area families starting this month, including all families with children in Modesto City Schools.
There was no application for the program, called Pandemic EBT 2.0. All students enrolled in some districts are eligible and will automatically receive a card in the mail regardless of individual family income, said Jason Montiel, a spokesperson for the state social services department. This includes families in Modesto’s largest school district.
One Modesto City Schools family that activated its card found it loaded with $738.
P-EBT is a federal program run by the California Department of Social Services in partnership with the California Department of Education. It’s intended to provide families with extra food assistance to make up for free or reduced-price meals served at a childcare center or school that students may miss because of the pandemic, Montiel said in an email.
Students who attended schools that provide free meals for all students are eligible for P-EBT, even if their family did not individually apply for free or reduced-price meals, according to the California Department of Social Services.
The benefits do not replace school site meals if students are able to access them. Families can spend P-EBT at most grocery stores, at farmers markets and on Amazon, according to the state’s P-EBT website.
Families automatically receive one card per child if they were eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the 2020-21 school year, attended a school that provided free and reduced meals during that period, and their school offered distance or hybrid learning for at least part of the year, according to the Department of Social Services. Families also receive cards if their child’s school provided free or reduced-price meals for all children.
Children under age 6 will receive a P-EBT 2.0 card if they received CalFresh Food benefits from October 2020 to Aug. 31 and live in a county where at least one school was closed or limiting in-person instruction during that time, Montiel said.
The state social services department will issue more than 5 million P-EBT cards over the next few months, Montiel said. State officials do not yet have data on how many will be issued in Stanislaus County.
Extra money for food, groceries
In 2020, 67% of Stanislaus County students qualified for free and reduced-price meals, which is higher than the state average of 59%, according to the Stanislaus County Office of Education. In Modesto City Elementary, part of Modesto’s largest school district, 83.7% of students qualified for free and reduced-price meals, according to the Education Data Partnership.
The state began mailing cards to families with school-age children in early September and will continue through the end of this year by age group in alphabetical order by the child’s first name, according to the social services department.
The cards reload with up to $123 per month depending on the mode of learning the child’s school offered. Stanislaus families with children under 6 will receive the same amounts on their cards, but those with school-age children will receive money proportionate to the main learning model of their child’s school each month, Montiel said.
Those who received a P-EBT card but do not feel they need food assistance may still use the money. P-EBT funds can’t be transferred to other families, Montiel said.
If families choose not to accept their benefits, they can destroy their card before using it and the benefits will expire, Montiel said.
Families that need help setting up their cards, need to request a replacement card or did not receive their card in the mail should call the P-EBT Helpline at 877-328-9677. Additional information can be found at capandemic-ebt.org.
This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
