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The Maui News
The state has rolled out a summer program that will allow children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals to receive benefits to help purchase food.
The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program is open to students who, as of the last day of the 2020-21 school year, meet one of three criteria:
• Are enrolled for free or reduced-price school meals at a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program. This includes high school seniors.
• Are enrolled in a school that provides free meals to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision or another provision. For a list of schools, see www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/HealthAndNutrition/StudentHealthResources/Pages/CEP.aspx.
• Apply for free or reduced-price school meals by Aug. 2 and are determined eligible and enrolled for free or reduced-price meals at a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program.
Eligible students will have their benefits issued to their own account that is accessible through a Hawaii P-EBT card (white with black lettering) or a Kokua EBT card, according to a news release from the state Department of Human Services on Friday. Newly eligible students who didn't receive a card for the 2020-21 school year will be mailed one. Families new to the program who are mailed a card will receive one in the name of each eligible student.
Children under age 6 will have their benefits issued to their families existing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
P-EBT benefits can be used to buy SNAP-eligible foods, such as groceries, snacks and seeds or plants that will produce food. They can't be used to buy alcohol, tobacco products, vitamins, live animals, prepared foods or any nonfood household items. For a list of eligible foods, visit www.fns .usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items. Hawaii P-EBT cards can also be used in the Da Bux program (see dabux.org) and at participating farmers markets.
Each student will receive benefits of $438, with the first allocation of $219 loaded to accounts last week and the second $219 allocation available Aug. 10.
Families do not need to apply for the benefits. Eligible children are automatically enrolled through verification depending on their age.
Families whose children are not enrolled in the free and reduced-price school lunch program with a state Department of Education school and who would like to receive the P-EBT benefits should apply via EZMealApp.com by Aug. 2. Those with children attending National School Lunch Program-participating charter or private schools school contact their school.
For more information, call (888) 975-PEBT (7328) or email hi.pebt@dhs.hawaii.gov.