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KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services: Kentucky Students Eligible for New Emergency Food Benefits 5/21/20 The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) are partnering to provide food assistance to families who have lost access to free or reduced-price school meals during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency……
Beginning May 23, Kentucky families with students who normally receive free or reduced-price meals at school may get financial assistance to replace those meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act………
P-EBT benefits are entirely federally funded and will provide up to $163 million in food assistance to up to 500,000 qualifying children. The plan will provide each eligible student with up to $313.50 for the time period of March through May to help with nutritional support during the time that schools have been closed during the pandemic.
Department of Education Interim Commissioner Kevin C. Brown said that approximately 75 percent of Kentucky students receive free or reduced-price meals………
Families who already receive assistance can receive P-EBT in addition to other benefits their household may get. Children who already receive SNAP, Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program assistance, Kinship Care or Medicaid will automatically receive P-EBT on their EBT cards and do not need to apply separately. P-EBT benefits will be added to existing EBT cards no later than May 28. Families of all other children must complete a short online application and will be mailed an EBT card with instructions on how to activate and use their card. The online application will be available June 2 through June 30 at www.benefind.ky.gov .
Students who became eligible for free or reduced lunch after March 13 are eligible for P-EBT. The deadline for new households to apply is June 30. To apply for P-EBT, visit www.benefind.ky.gov