Congresswoman Grace Meng is reminding Queens families to be aware of a new federal government benefit that provides all New York City public school parents with $420 per child.
“No child or family should ever go hungry,” Meng said. “As the coronavirus crisis continues to cause financial hardships throughout our borough, this additional benefit will help many with putting food on the table. I urge parents with school-aged children to take advantage of these funds, and to look out for them in the mail if they have not yet received them. I am also pleased to have played a role in making these payments available to hardworking families throughout Queens during these challenging times.”
The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), is a one-time payment that can be used to purchase groceries. The funds will arrive this month for many New York families with some already receiving the money.
The payments are made available nationally under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, a coronavirus relief bill that Meng helped to pass in March.
It is money that would have been spent on the payments, after Meng and local colleagues urged President Trump to support the state’s application for the program.
According to Meng, receiving the funds is automatic; there is no need to apply and the money does not need to be paid back. It will be provided to families regardless of immigration status. The benefit also applies to private, parochial and charter school students who received free school lunches.
All children who would have received free or reduced-price school lunches for the days their school was closed due to COVID-19 are eligible to receive P-EBT food benefits. This includes:
- All children attending Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools where all children attending public schools in the district received free or reduced-price school lunches.
- Children who attend private, parochial and charter schools and who received free school lunches.
- Children ages 3 and 4 attending Universal Pre-Kindergarten and who received free school lunches.
- Young adults ages 19 to 21 who are still in school and who received free school lunches.
- Foster children who received free school lunches.
- Children who are non-citizens and who received free school lunches.
