Important message about P-EBT benefits for school year 2021-2022
The Texas state plan for the school year 2021-2022 Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program has been approved by the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). PEBT provides food benefits to families with students who temporarily lose access to free or reduced-price school meals for the 2021–2022 school year due to COVID-19-related absences or school closures. Mexia ISD has sent information about eligible students to Texas Health and Human Services to issue benefits.
Total benefit amounts issued will vary for each student because they are based on the student’s COVID-related absences and school closures. This is different from previous P-EBT benefit amounts that were the same for all students at a campus. For COVID-related absences to be eligible for the benefit of $7.10 a day, they must have been reported by the guardian and recorded by the campus office as COVID-related.
If your child is eligible to receive P-EBT benefits, a notice from HHS will be mailed to you. If this is your first time receiving P-EBT benefits, the notice will have information on how to claim your benefits and get a P-EBT card mailed to you. If you have received P-EBT before, benefits will be issued on your Lone Star Card or P-EBT Card. If you no longer have that card, call the Lone Star Help Desk at 877-541-7905.
P-EBT benefits for the first semester (August 2021–December 2021) should be issued in late April 2022. The second semester (January 2022–June 2022) benefits will be issued in July 2022.
To learn more about P-EBT benefits, visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt, or call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Central time.