Check your P-EBT cards, money may be waiting for you

EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) – The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program, also known as P-EBT, was issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but did you know that 92% of states are still giving money these cards?

The P-EBT was part of the US government’s solution to help families pay for groceries while their children were at home due to school closures during the pandemic. If your child received a free lunch at school, you may have been given an EBT card to buy food while they were at home.

Funding for the P-EBT program comes from federal COVID-19 relief packages, but distribution and administration has been handled by the individual states with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Most states — 46 out of 50 — implemented this program in the 2021-2022 school year, and the majority should receive credit from the previous school year sometime between July and December.

However, some states have yet to allocate benefits to residents with P-EBT cards, and eligible residents may still have funds on their way.

States that should have received benefits for the 2021-2022 school year:

States to Expect P-EBT Benefits in the Future:

States not planning to ship P-EBT services, according to the US Department of Agriculture:

• Alaska
• Idaho
• South Dakota
• Kansas

It is important to note that states may have changed their benefit plans from those originally listed in their proposals, so the lists above may reflect accurate dates. However, if states have managed to meet the schedule, they are expected to provide benefits by the dates given.

For more detailed payment information, visit your state’s website linked above. You can also call the phone number on your existing P-EBT card to check the balance.