The Tennessee Department of Human Services today announced the details on the second distribution of Pandemic Electronic Benefit Program for the 2022-2023 academic year and Summer 2023.
P-EBT is a COVID-19 relief program that provides nutritional benefits to children eligible for the National School Lunch Program who may have missed meals due to COVID-19. The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) distributes P-EBT benefits based on records provided by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) guidelines and funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service.
Remaining School Year 2022-2023 P-EBT Distribution
Eligible K-12 students who attended school in person will receive P-EBT benefits for school meals missed between March 2023 and May 11, 2023, of the 2022-23 school year on June 16, 2023. Benefits for this time period are available to children who:
- Are eligible to receive free meals through the National School Lunch Program or attend a Community Eligibility Program, Provision 2 or 3 school.
- Attended a school that experienced a closure or reduction of hours of 5 consecutive days.
- Had a COVID-19 related excused absence documented by their school between March 2023 and May 11, 2023.
Summer 2023 P-EBT Distribution
Eligible K-12 students who attended school in person will receive P-EBT benefits for the Summer 2023 if children are:
- Eligible to receive free meals through the National School Lunch Program or attend a Community Eligibility Program, Provision 2 or 3 school.
- Attended a school that experienced a closure or reduction of hours of 5 consecutive days.
Children are automatically enrolled in P-EBT for the 2022-2023 School Year and Summer 2023 according to records provided by Tennessee schools. No application is required.
Eligible children will receive approximately $120 in Summer P-EBT benefits, plus the amount of any additional benefits they were eligible for from March 2023 – May 11, 2023.
The total amount of P-EBT benefits will vary for each eligible child.
If the child already has an active P-EBT card, benefits will be added to that card. If a new P-EBT card is needed, please visit connectebt.com or call 1 (888) 997-9444. If the child has not received P-EBT before, a new EBT card will be mailed to their home based on current school records.
Parents can login to the P-EBT Parent Portal at onedhs.tn.gov/parent to view P-EBT benefits, link their child(ren), verify or change address, and sign up to receive text message notifications.
If a parent or guardian has questions that are not answered through the P-EBT website or P-EBT Parent Portal, they may call the P-EBT assistance line at (833) 419-3210.
P-EBT Administrative Review Process (School Year 2022-2023 and Summer 2023)
If parents have not received P-EBT Benefits by June 16th or believe their child’s School Year 2022-23 and/or Summer 2023 P-EBT benefits do not reflect the number of school meals missed due to COVID-19 related school closures or excused absences during the 2022-2023 school year, they can submit a P-EBT Administrative Review request via the P-EBT Parent Portal at onedhs.tn.gov/parent.
Requests must be made between June 19, 2023 and June 30, 2023 at 5 P.M CST 2023. If approved, P-EBT Administrative Review benefits will be issued on a rolling basis. To learn more about the P-EBT Administrative Review Process, please visit: tn.gov/humanservices/p-ebt/p-ebt-administrative-review-faq.html.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (PL 116–127, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 (PL 116-260), and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (PL 117-2) provides the Secretary of Agriculture authority to approve state agency plans to administer P-EBT. Approved state agencies may operate P-EBT when a school is closed or has been operating with reduced attendance or hours for at least five consecutive days during a public health emergency designation when the school would otherwise be in session.