SD Offers $285 to Low-Income Kids to Make up for Missed School Lunch

Now here’s a good use of federal dollars: let’s feed hungry kids!

The Department of Social Services announced yesterday that it is delivering one-time food assistance to families whose kids qualify for free or reduced-price school meals but may have missed out on their school lunches due to the coronavirus closings:

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) will provide families with a one-time benefit of $285 per eligible child. The benefit is issued through an Electronic Benefit Transaction (EBT) card. The card can be used to purchase food items at participating retailers.

“All South Dakota families with school-aged children who qualified for free or reduced-price school meals under the National School Lunch Program during the 2019-2020 school year are eligible for P-EBT,” said DSS Cabinet Secretary Laurie Gill. “This will be incredibly helpful to families as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Families who received free or reduced-price school meals and who are already eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will automatically have the benefit added to their existing EBT account on June 29. Those who currently receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be automatically enrolled in the P-EBT program and a card will be mailed with activation and use instructions. Benefits will be available July 1.

All other households who received reduced-price school meals will be sent a letter with a link to an online application. Once submitted, a P-EBT card will be mailed to them with activation and use instructions [Department of Social Services, press release, 2020.06.22].

Secretary Gill says this aid will help more than 46,000 South Dakota kids.