DHS: Oregon approved to issue an additional $46 million in Pandemic EBT food assistance to 80,000 young children

Need to know:

• Families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and have young children may receive additional food benefits for their children this Fall.
• Oregon will provide approximately $46 million in additional food assistance for 80,000 young children.
• These food benefits will be issued in Fall 2022 with the exact dates yet to be determined.
• These additional food benefits are part of the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program, a temporary COVID-19 program meant to provide additional food support for children whose access to adequate and quality food may have been impacted by COVID-19.

(Salem, OR) – The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) received approval from the federal government to provide additional food benefits for young children whose families received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits between September 2021 and May 2022.

These additional food benefits will provide approximately $46 million in additional food assistance for 80,000 young children in Oregon. The additional food benefits will be issued to families’ existing EBT cards in Fall 2022, with the exact dates yet to be determined.

“We are grateful to be able to provide these additional food benefits to families with young children in Oregon,” said Jana McLellan, interim director of the ODHS Self Sufficiency Programs. “As communities continue to be impacted by COVID-19 and the rising cost of food, we know that many families are experiencing hardship and are struggling to get enough healthy food for themselves and their children. We encourage anyone who is struggling to meet their basic needs to contact our partners at 211, the Oregon Food Bank and their local Community Action Agency for support during this difficult time.”

Eligibility for P-EBT food benefits

• Families must have received SNAP benefits at any time between September 2021 and May 2022.
• Children in the family who were age 5 and under at any time during this period are eligible to receive additional food benefits.
• Families will receive the additional food benefits for every month during this period that:
  • One or more children in their household were ages 5 and younger
  • The family was receiving SNAP benefits.

Eligible families will receive an extra $63 food benefit per child on their EBT card for every month the children were ages 5 or younger and their family was receiving SNAP benefits. Families can receive up to $567 in additional food benefits for each child who is eligible.

These additional food benefits are part of the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program, a temporary COVID-19 program meant to provide additional food support for children whose access to adequate and quality food may have been impacted by COVID-19.

Families whose EBT card has been lost or stolen should call the toll-free replacement card line at 1-855-328-6715 to request a replacement card as soon as possible. The replacement line is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Visit pebt.oregon.gov for more information about the P-EBT program.

P-EBT does not replace any child nutrition program already offered and families are

encouraged to continue to participate in meal programs in their communities.

P-EBT food benefits are issued in addition to regular SNAP benefits including

emergency allotments that are also being issued due to the impact of COVID-19. PEBT benefits are not considered in a public charge test.

Resources to help meet basic needs

• Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
• Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org
• Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
• Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: http://www.caporegon.org/find-...
• Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center

About SNAP

Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at https://govstatus.egov.com/or-dhs-benefits. For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372.