FAQs on P-EBT

Details: Parent Category: Newsflashes; Category: Newsflash

The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) is a Federal program to provide food benefits to children who will miss out or have missed out on school meals due to the pandemic. Those of us with children in NYC public schools (and most charter and parochial schools) will receive a P-EBT card that can be used in the same way as SNAP (food stamp) cards.

Here, find help for some of the most common P-EBT issues, including getting a replacement card if you haven't received yours.

Looking for information on redistributing your P-EBT? Visit our page with Four Steps You Can Take to Help Food-Insecure Families.

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Update, July 2021: New York State continues to distribute Pandemic EBT food benefits to all households with eligible children who receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act. Here are important updates to the distribution as of July 28:

- Benefits to students who had their in-person attendance to public school in the New York City area reduced due to the pandemic will be issued for the months of September 2020 through March 2021 beginning in June and distribution will continue through July.
- Eligible public-school students in the rest of the state—all areas outside the five boroughs—can expect to receive their first benefit beginning in August.
- Eligible children attending non-public schools such as private and charter schools will start to receive benefits starting in September.
- There is now a NYS School List to check the P-EBT distribution status for individual schools.
- Benefits for the period of April through June 2021 will be issued no earlier than September 2021.

Q: How long is my P-EBT card valid and how do I see the amount of money remaining?

A: P-EBT Cards are valid for at least 274 days after the date of issue.

You can see your balance and the date of issue at www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

Q: I didn't receive my P-EBT, or I need to replace a lost/damaged card. What do I do?

A: PSP members have reported success getting a new or replacement card through a variety of methods.

Method 1: Request a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399. If you lost the card, you should enter 999-99 and then the 2-digit month and 2-digit day of the card holder's birthday. For example, if your child's birthday is July 4th, you would enter 999-99-0704. You'll then be asked to verify the card holders 8-digit birthday (MM/DD/YYYY). Finally, you will be asked to enter the 4-digit pin you originally selected. Further information can be found here from the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

Method 2: Apply for a new card at www.connectebt.com.

Method 3: Reach out to with your replacement request.

Method 4: Call the P-EBT Food Benefits Helpline at 833-452-0096. One parent reported: "After being passed around various numbers and entering in various DOB’s trying to order replacement cards for my kids benefits I had success calling the following number and speaking to a representative."

Method 5: Follow the steps listed on the Community Food Advocates P-EBT page:

1. Complete the State P-EBT Contact Form here.

p-ebt contact form

2. Email and include: student name; school attended in Spring 2020; DOB; addresses (including both former and current if you think the mailing may have gone to a former address.

Method 6: If you previously received a card and need to replace it due to loss or damage, follow the below flowchart to find the necessary course of action, and then visit the fact sheet here for details.

p-ebt flow chart