Name: More P-EBT payments coming for food insecure students in Virginia after nearly 6 months of waiting
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More P-EBT payments coming for food insecure students in Virginia after nearly 6 months of waiting

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Posted: Mar 15, 2021 / 12:06 PM EDTUpdated: Mar 16, 2021 / 10:55 AM EDTRICHMOND, Va. (WRIC)–After nearly six months of waiting, more help is on the way for 650,000 students whose families have struggled to pay for meals during virtual or hybrid learning, according to the Virginia Department of Social Services.The program was launched under the CARES Act last spring when schools initially closed. The most recent of two total payments went out in September 2020.Virginia Social Services Commissioner Duke Storen said Congress re-authorized the P-EBT program in a subsequent spending package. He said the new federal guidelines will expand eligibility to more than 135,000 children in Virginia. Previously, only students learning remotely for five consecutive days were eligible for the benefits.Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Storen said some low-income families have had to cover between 1-3 meals per day that their kids would’ve otherwise gotten at a free or reduced price in school.“We’ve seen a big spike in food insecurity across the nation and in Virginia because of the pandemic. In Virginia we’ve gone from about 10 percent to an estimated 23 percent of food insecurity,” Storen told 8News in an interview ahead of their announcement on Monday.Storen said Virginia will continue to issue monthly benefits at least through the end of the 2020-2021 academic year to families of students learning virtually or in a hybrid format. Fully remote students will receive $121.40 per month and hybrid students will receive $60.70 per month on P-EBT cards, according to DSS.Storen said monthly issuances will begin on March 25 and will continue on the 25th of each month at least through June.The announcement comes on the same date that Gov. Ralph Northam pushed school districts to offer in-person learning by, meaning some previously eligible families will not receive future payments.“The date was a matter of our ability to have the mechanics to stand up the program so our timing with the governor’s announcement is really just serendipitous,” Storen said.However, Storen said students who went to school virtually or in a hybrid format between October 2020 and January 2021 are still eligible for retroactive monthly payments. Allotments for October and November are expected to be issued on March 17, whereas payments for December and January should arrive on March 20th.Households who didn’t receive the first two payments that are eligible under expanded guidelines have been identified by the Virginia Department of Education. Parents should expect to receive additional information from their school district.Storen is expecting the P-EBT program to serve as the main source of school nutrition support throughout the summer but DSS is still awaiting additional guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture. Normally, he said these meals are offered in supervised, congregate settings that aren’t conducive with social distancing guidelines.“We know this is the most efficient and effective way to address food insecurity for children who are not physically in school,” Storen said.The continuation of P-EBT is great news for Angela Deane, who reached out to 8News for help in December after struggling to get answers from DSS about the state of the program.“I had given up hope that more payments would ever come,” Deane told 8News on Monday after putting her granddaughter on the bus for the first time in months.Last year, DSS said was flooded with questions, which caused delays in response time. On Monday, Storen said the state launched a new bilingual call center with an estimated 50 staffers to handle inquiries.8News asked Storen why it took nearly six months for more payments to be authorized and issued. After Congress approved the additional support, he said USDA took a long time to send guidance to states. He said states then had to send their plans back to the federal government for approval.“Because this has been authorized multiple times, that process has had to happen multiple times,” Storen said. “So I know it is frustrating and bureaucratic for everybody.”Beginning March 15, questions regarding current or previous issuances of P-EBT benefits can be directed to the P-EBT Call Center Monday -Friday from 7:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m. at 866-513-1414 (toll-free) or 804-294-1633, or through theThanks for signing up!Watch for us in your inbox.Subscribe Nowno iframe support!✕× Close Ad

Posted: Mar 15, 2021 / 12:06 PM EDTUpdated: Mar 16, 2021 / 10:55 AM EDTRICHMOND, Va. (WRIC)–After nearly six months of waiting, more help is on the way for 650,000 students whose families have struggled to pay for meals during virtual or hybrid learning, according to the Virginia Department of Social Services.The program was launched under the CARES Act last spring when schools initially closed. The most recent of two total payments went out in September 2020.Virginia Social Services Commissioner Duke Storen said Congress re-authorized the P-EBT program in a subsequent spending package. He...

More P-EBT payments coming for food insecure students in Virginia after nearly 6 months of waiting

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