COVID continues to impact many of us in many ways including our ability to pay for things like food or rent. The below resources are available to support your family to afford food right now and ensure your kids have the food they need to fuel their dreams and thrive.
Extra grocery money for my family
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) provides monthly grocery benefits on an electronic card to purchase food from places you normally shop like grocery stores or farmers markets.
Benefits can be up to $939 a month for a household of four (benefits amounts are different in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
Any U.S. citizen and certain lawfully present non-citizens can receive SNAP benefits if they qualify. The program is available nationwide and in U.S. territories. To qualify for SNAP, your household’s income has to be below a certain amount based on your state’s requirements.
Learn more including how to apply for SNAP where you live.
Applying for and receiving SNAP will have no immigration consequences for those who apply or their families.
Apply for SNAP:
Step 1:
- Find out if you are eligible by visiting mrelief.com or texting “Food” to 74544
- To receive SNAP, you need to apply in your state. Find your state’s application information.
- You can apply online, in-person, over-the-phone or by mail.
- To get the process started, you only need to submit your name, a signature, and an address (you can use any safe address or many local organizations, like a shelter, allow their address to be used for SNAP applications).
Step 2:
- The application process also requires an interview with an eligibility worker either in-person or over-the-phone.
- You may be asked to provide documentation such as a form of identification and proof of income (like a paystub).
- You can get help with providing this information or alternative options if you do not have these.
Step 3:
- Once you are approved, a SNAP card will be provided to you by mail or in-person.
Food for my kids when they miss school due to COVID and during summer break
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) provides grocery benefits when kids miss school meals because of COVID and during the summer months when school is closed.
- Benefits are $8.18 a day or $41 a week to cover the cost of missed school breakfast, lunch and snack when a child experiences a COVID school closure, quarantine or absence (benefits are $12.83 a day in Alaska and $9.45 a day in Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).
- P-EBT also provides grocery support to:
- Families with children 0-6 years old who receive SNAP.
- Children who previously received free or reduced school meals, but now are homeschooled or attend virtual school because of COVID. For children in this situation, benefits are not tied to missing school because of being sick.
- Summer P-EBT provides $120 per eligible child ($188 in Alaska and $139 in Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) over summer break.
- Summer benefits are only available to school-aged children. Children under 6 and those who are homeschooled or attend a virtual school that does not provide school meals are not eligible.
Kids are eligible for P-EBT if they qualify for free or reduced price school meals. P-EBT benefits are provided on an electronic card that is mailed to you or on the same card as your SNAP benefits.
Is my child eligible for P-EBT?
Many children automatically qualify for P-EBT. You do not need to submit a school meal application if your child:
- Receives SNAP
OR
- Attends a school that provides no cost meals for all with the Community Eligibility Provision. Not sure? Ask your school!
Submit a free and reduced-price school meal application to your child’s school to ensure your child receives P-EBT. Other information may be required by your state to receive P-EBT such as confirming COVID absences.
Each state is approved to provide Pandemic EBT separately, so the program is not available everywhere. Check to see if Pandemic EBT is available in your area.
School Year 2022-2023
Below is a list of states and U.S. Territories providing P-EBT during the 2022-2023 school year. We will update this page regularly as new states and territories are approved. Each link connects you to P-EBT information for that area:
Summer 2023
Below is a list of states and U.S. territories providing Summer Pandemic EBT during summer 2023. We will update this page regularly as new states and territories are approved. Each link connects you to P-EBT information for that area:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- CNMI
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Free, healthy meals for kids 0-18 are also available during the summer in your community, find them at nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals or by texting the word FOOD to 304-304. You can receive both Summer P-EBT and free summer meals.
Food for expectant families or families with babies and young children
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides food, education and support for women who are pregnant or postpartum, caregivers, infants, and children up to age 5.
WIC provides nutritious foods based on dietary needs such as dairy, fruit and vegetables, whole grains, baby food and infant formula. Benefits are available by paper vouchers or an electronic card and are used to purchase food at participating stores.
Caregivers (including fathers and grandparents) with low to medium incomes are eligible for WIC. Check to see if you are eligible for WIC.
WIC is available nationwide including in U.S. territories and through Native American Tribal organizations. To apply for WIC, you need to set up an appointment with your local provider - these appointments do not need to be in-person during the pandemic. Find your local WIC provider.
