March 8, 2021:  State of Illinois providing Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) to those Eligible for Free & Reduced Meals Status

The State of Illinois will be providing Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to Illinois students receiving  free or reduced meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).  Families do not need to complete a P-EBT application; however, families are encouraged to complete a NSLP Household Eligibility Application to determine eligibility for free or reduced meal status if they have not already done so for the 2020-21 School Year.  That application can be found here.  Families that are currently receiving SNAP, TANF, or income eligible Medicaid do not need to take any action.

The P-EBT program provides food assistance to families by way of a money access card. It benefits those who would have received free or reduced lunch while attending school but are not  consuming these meals in school due to COVID-19 restrictions.  If “grab and go meals” are provided to students, this does not exclude these students from participating or being eligible for the P-EBT program.

At this time, it is very important for all eligible students to ensure that their mailing address in Tyler is current. The Illinois Department of Human Services anticipates beginning issuing P-EBT cards to all known eligible students in March 2021.  Students will receive benefits for all eligible school days, back to the beginning of this school year.

If you have any questions, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) webpage, or IDHS can be reached at 1-800-843-6154.