Texas Extends Families Food Assistance Program Deadline

AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is extending the application deadline for the federal Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT) to Aug. 21 in ensuring eligible families have more time to apply for the one-time benefit.

P-EBT is a one-time benefit of $285 per eligible child and can be used in the same way Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits pay for groceries. Eligible families include those with children who lost access to free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program due to school closures.

"The P-EBT program helps ensure that families continue to have access to healthy food as some schools, and subsequently school lunch programs, remain closed due to COVID-19," Abbott said in a prepared statement. "I encourage eligible Texans to apply for these benefits so they can continue to provide food for their families during these challenging times."

Added Health and Human Services Commission Access and Eligibility Services Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter: "If your family is eligible, we want you to apply for this one-time benefit because we don’t want to leave federal lunch money on the table. We’re pleased with how many families have so far received this benefit, but there are still thousands of eligible families in our communities that can apply for assistance.”

The Health and Human Services Commission partnered with the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Education Agency to launch the $1 billion federal program on June 1 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than three million children in Texas were certified to receive free or reduced-price meals at school during the 2019-2020 school year. To date, nearly $790 million in P-EBT has been issued to families, benefiting more than 2.8 million children. Families who are eligible for P-EBT were notified by their school districts in May. After completing the online application, families receive their benefits on a new Texas P-EBT card in the mail.

Families who have been denied but think they are eligible should contact the Health and Human Services Commission within 15 days of receiving their denial notice. They can either call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-613-6220 or send an email to AES_PEBT_Complaints@hhsc.state.tx.us with proof of free or reduced-priced meals. Proof includes the award letter that is sent to parents when their children become eligible for the National School Lunch Program.

Visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt to learn more about P-EBT and other types of proof acceptable. For questions regarding eligibility or to learn more, Texans may also contact the P-EBT Call Center at 833-613-6220, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Standard Time. When applying, it is especially important to include a valid phone number on their application. Health and Human Services Commission staff may need to call families to get additional information to approve P-EBT benefits.

Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits.com or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits.

En español:

AUSTIN, TX - El gobernador Greg Abbott anunció el martes que la agencia Texas Health and Human Services Commission está extendiendo la fecha límite de solicitud para el programa Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT) al 21 de agosto para garantizar que las familias elegibles tengan más tiempo para solicitar por el beneficio de una sola vez.

El programa es el de Transferencia Electrónica de Beneficios Pandémicos (P-EBT), un beneficio único de $285 por niño elegible y se puede usar de la misma manera que los beneficios del Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) pagan los alimentos. Las familias elegibles incluyen aquellas con niños que perdieron el acceso a comidas escolares gratuitas o de precio reducido a través del National School Lunch Program debido al cierre de escuelas.

"El programa P-EBT ayuda a garantizar que las familias continúen teniendo acceso a alimentos saludables ya que algunas escuelas y, posteriormente, los programas de almuerzos escolares permanecen cerrados debido a COVID-19," dijo Abbott en un comunicado preparado. "Animo a los tejanos elegibles a solicitar estos beneficios para que puedan continuar proporcionando alimentos a sus familias durante estos tiempos difíciles."

La agencia Health and Human Services Commission e asoció con el y Texas Department of Agriculture y Texas Education Agency para lanzar el programa federal de $ 1 mil millones el 1 de junio en respuesta a la pandemia COVID-19. Más de tres millones de niños en Texas fueron certificados para recibir comidas gratis o de precio reducido en la escuela durante el año escolar 2019-2020. Hasta la fecha, se han emitido casi $790 millones en P-EBT a familias, beneficiando a más de 2.8 millones de niños. Las familias que son elegibles para P-EBT fueron notificadas por sus distritos escolares en mayo. Después de completar la solicitud en línea, las familias reciben sus beneficios en una nueva tarjeta P-EBT de Texas por correo.

Las familias que han sido denegadas pero creen que son elegibles deben comunicarse con la agencia Health and Human Services Commission dentro de los 15 días posteriores a la recepción de su aviso de denegación. Pueden llamar al Centro de atención telefónica P-EBT al 833-613-6220 o enviar un correo electrónico a AES_PEBT_Complaints@hhsc.state.tx.us con prueba de comidas gratuitas o de precio reducido. La prueba incluye la carta de adjudicación que se envía a los padres cuando sus hijos son elegibles para el programa.

Visite hhs.texas.gov/pebt para obtener más información sobre P-EBT y otros tipos de pruebas aceptables. Para preguntas relacionadas con la elegibilidad o para obtener más información, los tejanos también pueden comunicarse con el Centro de llamadas P-EBT al 833-613-6220, de lunes a viernes, de 8 a.m. a 6 p.m. Hora estándar central. Al realizar la solicitud, es especialmente importante incluir un número de teléfono válido en su solicitud. El personal del Health and Human Services Commission podria necesitar llamar a las familias para obtener información adicional para aprobar los beneficios de P-EBT.

Aquellos que necesiten solicitar beneficios, incluidos SNAP y Medicaid, pueden hacerlo en YourTexasBenefits.com o mediante la aplicación móvil Your Texas Benefits para administrar sus beneficios.

This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch