Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program
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The Maryland Department of Human Services in conjunction with the Maryland State Department of Education has secured approval from the USDA on its joint submission to operate a Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program.
P-EBT is intended to cover breakfast, lunch, and a snack for eligible children who would have received these meals at their school, for five days a week. The benefit for the 2020-2021 school year is valued at $6.82 per day for a full virtual month of enrollment or for a full hybrid month of enrollment.
These benefits, called Pandemic-EBT, or P-EBT, are intended to help families in Maryland purchase food while schools are closed due to COVID-19.
P-EBT Issuance Overview
The P-EBT benefit amount for each eligible student is dependent on the learning model the student was in for each month of the school year 2020-2021. The learning model is determined by the Local School System for each school in Maryland. Benefit amounts can differ from child to child.
P-EBT benefit amount is calculated for each month and is based on the majority of students’ experience in the school for the majority of each month. Students attending schools whose learning model is in-person, in which students are attending in-person for the majority of the month, are not eligible for P-EBT benefits for that month.
Maryland schools have opened safely and effectively. All local school systems were directed to open for in-person instruction by March 1, 2021. Information on the reopening of Maryland schools can be found atMarylandpublicschools.org website.
How To Activate Your P-EBT Card
How do I activate the card? Call the phone number 1800-997-2222 on the back of the card. You will need the 16 digit EBT card number on the front of the card, your zip code, and the date of birth of the eligible child listed on the card. When prompted to enter the last four digits of your Social Security Number, enter 0000. You will then need to set a four-digit pin number.
How do I use the card? Once activated, the card can be used to purchase eligible food items anywhere SNAP/EBT cards are accepted. When making food purchases, you will need to use the PIN number you created when you first activated your P-EBT card. The card can be used in the point of sale device, just like a debit card, or can be handed to the cashier.
Maryland Families who Do Not Receive SNAP Benefits
If your children are eligible to receive free and reduced priced meals at school or attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, they are eligible for Pandemic – EBT benefits if they no longer have access to the school meals due to school closures resulting from COVID-19.
There is no need to apply. An eligible family will receive a confirmation letter and one P-EBT card for each eligible child.
Maryland Families who Currently Receive SNAP Benefits
If your child is eligible for free and reduced-priced meals at school, the child is eligible for the Pandemic-EBT Program if he or she no longer has access to the school meals due to school closures resulting from COVID-19.
There’s no need to apply. All eligible children will receive a P-EBT card. This includes SNAP recipients who previously received their P-EBT benefits on their EBT card. No P-EBT benefits will be issued on EBT cards.
Youth in Foster Care
Youth in foster care who are eligible to receive free and reduced-price meals at school or attend a CEP school are eligible for the Pandemic-EBT benefits. For those foster youth who receive SNAP benefits, they will be mailed a P-EBT card.
Foster youth who do not receive SNAP benefits will be mailed a P-EBT card.
Foster youth who do not receive SNAP benefits will receive a confirmation letter and a P-EBT card will be issued in their name and mailed before the end of June.
Children Under the Age of Six
Childcare Eligibility: Beginning October 1, 2020, P-EBT eligibility was expanded to include certain children under the age of six in households that received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit. Under this provision, your child who is on your SNAP case is eligible for P-EBT if:
the child lives in Baltimore City or a county in Maryland in which at least one school is closed or operating at reduced capacity due to COVID-19, or the child’s daycare facility is closed or is operating at reduced hours due to COVID-19.
How will families get P-EBT?
Students who are receiving SNAP benefits and are eligible for the P-EBT benefits will receive P-EBT cards. SNAP recipients who might have previously received their P-EBT benefits on their EBT card, will be mailed a P-EBT card. No P-EBT benefits will be issued on EBT cards.
SNAP children under 6 will be mailed a P-EBT card. P-EBT cards will be mailed by the end of June.
If your household does not receive SNAP benefits and your student is newly eligible for free and reduced meal programs or attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school you will be mailed a P-EBT card. P-EBT cards will be mailed by the end of June 2021.
Students who already received a P-EBT card will receive their P-EBT benefits on the same card.
When Will Families Get Their Benefits?
October, November, and December 2020
January and February
March and April
May and June
July and August
*Month Available:
May 2021
June 2021
July 2021
August 2021
September 2021
*Benefits are issued at the end of the month
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We will mail you a P-EBT card if your children previously received P-EBT benefits on your household’s SNAP card or you never received P-EBT benefits before. P-EBT cards will be mailed in the last two weeks of June 2021. Please note that it takes 7-10 business days from the date of the mailing for a new card to be delivered. If you previously received a P-EBT card but have lost it, please call the MD EBT Customer Care Center at 1-800-997-2222 to request a new card.
School Children: P-EBT benefits are provided to families whose school-aged children are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals at school, but have not been able to access those meals due to COVID-19. Children who attend school in-person are not eligible for P-EBT benefits.
Childcare Eligibility: Beginning October 1, 2020, P-EBT eligibility was expanded to include certain children under the age of six in households that received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit. Under this provision, your child who is on your SNAP case is eligible for P-EBT if:
He or she lives in a Maryland County in which at least one school is closed or operating at reduced capacity due to COVID-19, or
The child’s daycare facility is closed or is operating at reduced hours due to COVID-19.
You do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits. DHS will use records from local school systems to identify school-aged children who are eligible to receive benefits under this program. DHS will use SNAP records to identify children under six who are eligible under the childcare eligibility provision.
Students who are receiving SNAP benefits and are eligible for the P-EBT benefits will also receive P-EBT cards. This includes SNAP recipients who might have previously received their P-EBT benefits on their EBT card, will be mailed a P-EBT card. No P-EBT benefits will be issued on EBT cards.
SNAP children under 6 will be mailed a P-EBT card. P-EBT cards will be mailed by the end of June.
If your household does not receive SNAP benefits and your student is newly eligible for free and reduced meal programs or attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school you will be mailed a P-EBT card. P-EBT cards will be mailed by the end of June 2021.
Students who already received a P-EBT card will receive their P-EBT benefits on the same card.
Each eligible student will receive $6.82 per day if their school is closed or the majority of children in their school are virtual. If the majority of children in your school are hybrid learners, your benefit may be calculated based on the average number of virtual days in a given month.
Step #1 – Call the number on the back of your P-EBT Card 1-(800)-997-2222 Step #2 – Enter your 16-digit P-EBT card number found on the front of your card. Step #3 – Enter the last 4 digits of your child’s SSN as a default enter 0000 Step #4 – Enter your child’s 8-digit date of birth. 2 digit month +2 digit day+4 digit year. Example August 8, 1998= 08+08+1998 Step #5 – Create a 4 digit PIN
You may obtain a new card by calling the Maryland EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-2222 or go to ConnectEBT.com. You will need to provide the child’s name, date of birth, last four (4) digits of the social security number (the same 4 digits used to activate the original P-EBT), and address to have a new card mailed to you. The replacement card may look different but works exactly in the same way as your original card. It will take 7-10 business days to receive a replacement card.
DHS will issue benefits for October, November, and December 2020 in May 2021. January and February benefits will be issued in June 2021. March and April benefits will be issued in July 2021. May and June benefits will be issued in August 2021. July and August benefits will be issued in September 2021.
Only children who qualify for free, or reduced-price lunch at school are eligible for P-EBT food benefits. Children who are homeschooled are not eligible for P-EBT. Please contact your school district with questions concerning access to the free or reduced-price school lunch program. You may apply for SNAP benefits (also known as the Food Stamps) benefits by clicking this link if you are not already enrolled in the program and your family needs help with purchasing food.
Students that are in-person for half a day and remote for half a day are not eligible for P-EBT benefits for that day. Students receive P-EBT benefits for the days the school is closed or the student is not in school.
Questions or concerns regarding your individual P-EBT case should be directed to DHS through their Customer Inquiry Form. The Department has a team working to respond to each inquiry submitted.
The child remains eligible as long as the household maintains an active SNAP case. If the SNAP case has closed, the child will receive benefits for the months in which the household was eligible for SNAP. If the child is enrolled in a school and is eligible for Free and Reduced Meals through the school then the child may be eligible for PEBT benefits. Please contact your child’s school to learn about the process for enrolling in the free school lunch program.
The child who was six or older on October 1, 2020, is not eligible for P-EBT under the childcare eligibility provision. However, if the child is enrolled in school and is eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, they may be eligible for P-EBT. Please contact your child’s school to learn about the process for enrolling in the free school lunch program. Questions or concerns regarding your individual P-EBT case should be directed to DHS through their Customer Inquiry Form.
P-EBT benefits for children under the age of six who are on SNAP under the childcare eligibility provision must be issued in alignment with the authorizing law which was enacted on October 1, 2020. For this reason, the State of Maryland is not able to issue benefits for the months before the law was signed into law. However, if the child is enrolled in school and is eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, they may be eligible for P-EBT. Please contact your child’s school to learn about the process for enrolling in the free school lunch program. Questions or concerns regarding your individual P-EBT case should be directed to DHS through their Customer Inquiry Form.
P-EBT benefits are not transferable; therefore, you can’t give your benefits to someone else. Households that do not want to participate in the P-EBT program may destroy the P-EBT card when they receive it. The card can be destroyed by cutting through the magnetic stripe and disposing of it securely.
The card can be destroyed by cutting through the magnetic stripe and disposing of it securely. The benefits will expunge automatically after 365 days if they have not been used.
Please contact your child’s school to update the address. If you believe your P-EBT may have been mailed to an incorrect address please complete the Customer Inquiry Form.
Additional Resources
Apply for SNAP Benefits
Apply for the Free and Reduced Price Meals Program
Families who believe their child may be eligible should contact their school. The school will guide families through the application process.
Visit MDsummermeals.org to find sites serving “grab & go” meals for youth
For more information please call the Maryland Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Hotline at 1-833-330-PEBT (1-833-330-7328).
