Financial assistance available for families that qualify for Free and Reduced School Lunches

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) and the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) announced Tennessee families are now eligible to receive financial support for their children’s nutritional needs during the Covid-19 pandemic. This support is provided through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program.

Under the new P-EBT program, families of children who received free or reduced meals at school or attend a Community Eligibility Provision school may received financial assistance to replace school meals during the months of March, April and May due to Covid-19 school closures. The program will provide parents with $5.70 per child for each day that child qualifies for P-EBT.

Parents who already receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits currently, do not need to apply. The funds began arriving on the EBT card they already use beginning June 12. Parents who do not receive SNAP benefits, but who children do qualify for free or reduced school meals, will need to apply for P-EBT online, http://www.tn.gov/humanservices/covid-19/p-ebt-and-covid-19-faqs.html beginning June 15. The application period will end June 29, 2020.