Alaska’s Pandemic EBT program approved to help feed over 70,000 Alaska children

This month the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Alaska’s plan for the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program to reimburse families with children in schools and child care for missed nutrition services due to school closures and reduced in-person operations during the 2020-21 school year.

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development and Department of Health and Social Services estimate approximately $108.1 million will be distributed to families of around 68,300 children. Additionally, the State estimates approximately $4 million will be issued for around 3,500 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-enrolled children in child care from October 2020 through June 2021.

School children are eligible for benefits if they would have received free or reduced-price meals at their schools through the National School Lunch Program if not for closure or reduced attendance or hours of their school for a period of at least five consecutive days between August 2020 and June 2021.

For children in child care, the State will identify all children under six years of age enrolled in SNAP at any time since Oct. 1, 2020. The State will no  t administer P-EBT benefits to any child after their SNAP enrollment ends. Additionally, the children who receive benefits through P-EBT’s child care component may not also receive a benefit through P-EBT’s school component for the same month.

DHSS’ Division of Public Assistance (DPA) and DEED’s Child Nutrition Services will determine P-EBT issuances based on data supplied by schools through their individual databases. DPA will send EBT cards to individual students. Benefits for the period of August 2020 through December 2020 will be issued beginning next month. Benefits for the period January 2021 through June 2021 will be issued beginning in August.

Child Nutrition Services is currently applying for additional Pandemic EBT coverage for this summer.

For more information, visit https://education.alaska.gov/cnp/pandemic-ebt.