This is a notification that ~$180 million will be issued in food benefits for the P-EBT program the week of December 15th for summer 2022 P-EBT benefits.
As a reminder, some cards may appear different than standard Colorado EBT cards and will be white and black with no mountain image in the background.
What is P-EBT?
The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program is a federal program created to provide food assistance to Colorado families with students or young children who had reduced access to meals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Using P-EBT does NOT impact you or your child’s immigration status.
- P-EBT benefits are issued retroactively based on school attendance and COVID-19 outbreak information reported by the student's school district, or SNAP participation for children under 6.
- Families can use P-EBT funds to purchase foods based on their dietary needs and preferences from retailers in their communities.
- P-EBT funds may be available on a P-EBT or SNAP EBT card. You can learn more about eligible food purchases here.
- Since the program was created in April 2020, P-EBT benefits have provided access to healthy and wholesome food to more than 504,440 Colorado children.
Who is eligible for P-EBT?
A student may be eligible if they:
- Attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); AND
- Are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school; AND
- Experienced reduced access to school meals due to COVID-19 circumstances
For more information about free and reduced-price meal eligibility or to apply, contact your school or district directly.
A child who was not yet enrolled in school during the 2021-2022 school year may be eligible if they:
- Were born on or after Aug. 2, 2015; AND
- Received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits between Sept. 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022; AND
- Did not receive P-EBT school enrollment benefits.
Don’t have SNAP? Apply now and your local county office will contact you regarding your SNAP application. Please note: applying for SNAP now will not provide P-EBT eligibility for 21-22 school year benefits, but may offer eligibility for possible future P-EBT benefits.
How do I get P-EBT?
- Make sure your student’s school and/or SNAP case has the correct mailing address on file to ensure benefit notifications are sent to the correct address.
- There is no P-EBT application; the P-EBT program can only act on data submitted to the program by other state agencies.
- Eligible children will be mailed a notice of eligibility.
- Keep P-EBT cards, as possible future benefits may be issued on existing P-EBT cards.
When will P-EBT benefits be available?
Benefits are paid retroactively, or after the period they are intended to cover.
Tentative benefit issuance schedule:
- September 2021 - December 2021 benefits: Mid-August 2022
- January 2022 - May 2022: Mid-September 2022
- June 2022 - August 2022: Mid-December 2022