Deadline to apply for Pandemic EBT extended

DHS has an important announcement about the Pandemic EBT program.  Please read below and share widely.  We will send additional outreach and marketing resources next week. 

Extended application deadline

If a family has not already received P-EBT benefits, they now have until July 31 to apply. The online application is separate from ApplyMN and the Combined Application Form (CAF) and can be found here: https://mn.p-ebt.org/en/.

Expanded eligibility and benefits: Pre-K students and one time Summer P-EBT benefit

• DHS received approval from USDA to expand the P-EBT program to children in Pre-K. Eligibility is as follows:
  • The Pre-K student must have been enrolled in a district Pre-K program that were receiving free/reduced school lunch prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Families will need to use the above online application link to complete an additional application for these children if they did not list them on their initial application, or did not receive benefits for these children with the SNAP/MFIP issuance. Note: Head Start participants do not qualify for P-EBT.
• Minnesota extended P-EBT to provide an additional food benefit through the summer. This program is known as Summer P-EBT and will issue a one-time benefit of $100 per child. These benefits will be issued in August. There are two ways to qualify for this program:

1. Families with children ages 3-18 that were on SNAP or MFIP from 03/18/2020 – 07/31/2020 will automatically receive this benefit on their current EBT card.
2. Families that apply and qualify for the $325 per child P-EBT benefits will also automatically receive these additional funds on their P-EBT card.

As a reminder, families with children ages 5-18 (age 5 by 09/01/19) that were receiving SNAP or MFIP on March 18^th already had their P-EBT benefits issued to their existing MN EBT card. These clients do NOT need to apply for P-EBT benefits, unless they had a child enrolled in a Pre-K program and was receiving free/reduced lunch. They will need to apply online to receive P-EBT benefits for that child.

Hotline and website

• The DHS hotline is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the month of July. Participants with questions can call 651-431-4050 or 800-657-3698.
• Additional information will be posted on the DHS website https://mn.gov/dhs/p-ebt/. If you or your staff have questions, please send them to eaesd.snap.newsletter.dhs@state.mn.us.

Thank you again for all the hard work you are doing during these stressful times to help Minnesota residents in need.