The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) reports it will begin issuing $170 million in Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to 434,000 students and young children in Oregon beginning in late March 2023.
A P-EBT card containing $391 in food benefits, which is different from a regular electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, will be sent by mail to each eligible child. Cards are being sent in batches from late March to the end of May 2023.
“We are grateful to be able to provide these food benefits to eligible students and families with young children in Oregon,” said Claire Seguin, interim director of the ODHS Self-Sufficiency Programs. “As communities continue to be affected 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.”
Children are eligible for Summer 2022 P-EBT if they:
- Were eligible to receive free or reduced-price National School Lunch Program meals during school year 2021-2022 or attended a Community Eligibility Provision school.
- Were under the age of 6 and enrolled in SNAP during the summer 2022 months.
Between March and May 2023, each eligible child will receive two pieces of mail addressed to them:
- A letter notifying them they are eligible to receive P-EBT benefits
- A separate envelope with their P-EBT card that has $391 of food benefits on it
Households with multiple eligible children will receive individual letters and cards for each eligible child. Households will start receiving notification letters at the end of March and P-EBT cards will begin arriving in April.
Families with specific questions about their child’s eligibility or P-EBT card can contact the P-EBT Call Center at (844) ORE-PEBT or (844) 673-7328. The P-EBT Call Center is available Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Somalian, Mandarin and Cantonese. Callers may also request a translator for additional languages.
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. P-EBT is money for children whose access to adequate and quality food may have been impacted by COVID-19. Learn more about P-EBT from our FAQ for Families flyer.
Visit pebt.oregon.gov for more information about the P-EBT program.