Governor Laura Kelly today announced that approximately 189,000 Kansas children are eligible to receive a supplemental benefit through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Program (P-EBT) That’s a total benefit of $56 million for Kansas’ most needy children, delivered in time to help keep them fed during the winter school break.
The program will provide a one-time benefit of $391 on a Kansas Benefits Card for each school-aged child who was eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals at a school through the National School Lunch Program during the 2020-2021 school year.
The P-EBT program is administered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) in collaboration with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).
“Food insecurity should be the last thing Kansas children face right now, especially during the holiday season,” Thanks to the partnership of DCF and KSDE the state will be able to expedite payments to many eligible families to help ensure they have food on the table over the winter break.”
Gov. Kelly said
The program also provides a benefit to eligible Kansas children for the summer months of June, July, and August of 2022.
Children who attend a Head Start program and were enrolled in free or reduced-price meals program for the 2021-2022 school year are also eligible.
Nearly 80%, or 144,000 children, who are eligible for the Supplemental P-EBT benefit will be auto-issued their payment beginning Dec. 12. Auto-issuance is staggered based on the last name of the child and will be completed by Dec. 21.