What you need to know about the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program

The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) has partnered with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) to provide food benefits to families with children who receive free and/or reduced lunch. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 allows the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to facilitate the distribution of P-EBT to families affected by coronavirus-related school closures. 

Families will receive a one-time allotment of $256.50 in P-EBT benefits per child based on a calculation of $5.07 per day for the 45 days the child missed school in Georgia.

The P-EBT program will be available to children who were eligible for the national school lunch program during the 2019–2020 school year and will use data from GaDOE to determine a child’s eligibility for P-EBT.

For those currently receiving SNAP:

Families who currently receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) benefits do not need to apply for P-EBT. Eligible SNAP recipients will receive a P-EBT benefit on their existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. 

For those not currently receiving SNAP:

The P-EBT program will also be available to families who do not currently receive SNAP benefits, but whose children participate in the free and/or reduced lunch program. These families will need to submit a formal application to receive P-EBT (application will be open in late July 2020). If approved, an EBT card will be mailed to the family within three to four weeks. The family will receive information in the mail explaining how to activate and use their EBT card, along with their card.

For more information about P-EBT and other frequently asked questions, visit https://dfcs.georgia.gov/pandemic-electronic-benefit-transfer

Families that do not currently receive SNAP benefits will have 60 days from the date the application opens to request benefits. 

Need more information?

For state P-EBT general information, email [email protected]

For state P-EBT general information phone number: 404-657-3433

Customer Contact Center (toll-free): 877-423-4746