Community Organizations: Are you interested in receiving training on P-EBT outreach and how to talk to immigrant families about P-EBT? Do you have P-EBT questions your clients keep asking? If so, reach out to pif@povertylaw.org for free training.
SNAP Recertification Extension
Did you recently receive a SNAP Recertification Letter from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)? If so, please read on!
Illinois households that were scheduled to have their SNAP recertification in July and August 2020 will automatically have their SNAP certification period extended 6 months.
If you were going to be recertified in July, your recertification will be extended to January 2021.
If you were going to be recertified in August, your recertification will be pushed back to February 2021.
Unfortunately, IDHS already sent some recertification letters out.
Your benefits will not expire if you received a recertification letter for July or August 2020.
Maximum SNAP Benefits
All Illinois households receiving SNAP benefits will receive the maximum SNAP benefit for July and August.
Illinois’ Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT) will provide 316,000 Illinois households with additional funds to replace the meals children can’t access while schools are closed via LINK cards.
UPDATE: The P-EBT application deadline in Illinois has been extended to August 31st!
Families have to apply for SNAP or P-EBT by July 15th August 31st to get any P-EBT. The state will no longer accept P-EBT applications after August 31st. Note: Previously, the deadline to apply for P-EBT was July 15th. That deadline was extended by IDHS.
Note: When applying for P-EBT, you are not required to enter a Social Security Number (SSN)! The application will ask for your SSN, but this is optional. However, inputting your SSN (if you have one) will allow your application to be processed more quickly.
UPDATE: For families who were enrolled in free and reduced price meals in March, if they enroll in SNAP or P-EBT in June, they will get P-EBT benefits retroactive to March – approximately $342 worth of benefits.
CPS families are automatically enrolled in free and reduced price meals. Therefore, all CPS families are eligible to receive P-EBT benefits retroactive to March.
P-EBT provides an EBT card that can be used at authorized retailers to offset the cost of meals that would have been consumed at school.
P-EBT provides the value of school meals at the rate of $5.70 per child per school day.
All CPS families qualify for P-EBT Benefits, but must submit an application for P-EBT if they are not enrolled in SNAP!
Households with children enrolled in free or reduced-price school meals, or with a child attending a school that provides all meals for free, can apply directly for P-EBT.
Households at or below 185% of the federal poverty guideline but who are not receiving SNAP or free or reduced-price school meals should first call their child’s school to enroll in free or reduced-price meals and then apply for P-EBT.
CPS families do not need to do this. They should apply directly for P-EBT.
Current SNAP participants are automatically eligible for P-EBT and should see the benefit increase on their LINK card.
P-EBT will be in place until August 31st.
Info for Immigrants and Refugees:
The public charge test does not consider receipt of P-EBT benefits. Using P-EBT benefits will not impact a parent or child’s immigration status.
Undocumented households with school-aged children are eligible for P-EBT.
A Social Security Number (SSN) is not required to apply for P-EBT. The application asks applicants for their SSN, but this is an optional question.
The deadline to apply for P-EBT in Illinois is now August 31st.
Current and newly approved SNAP recipients will automatically see these benefits deposited on their LINK Card.
Those not currently on SNAP will have to complete a simplified application and if approved will be mailed a LINK card. This application can be completed through the ABE Online Application system. Approved applicants will receive a LINK card in the mail.
To apply for P-EBT directly through IDHS, use the ABE Online Application system or call 800-843-6154. There’s also a paper application that can be filled out and faxed or emailed to IDHS – links to the paper application can be found below.
If you have any questions for IDHS, issues applying, or are wrongfully denied P-EBT benefits, you can contact IDHS by emailing dhs.fcs.pebt@illinois.gov.
Illinois’ Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT) will provide 316,000 Illinois households with additional funds to replace the meals children can’t access while schools are closed via LINK cards.
UPDATE: The P-EBT application deadline in Illinois has been extended to August 31st!
Families have to apply for SNAP or P-EBT by July 15thAugust 31st to get any P-EBT. The state will no longer accept P-EBT applications after August 31st. Note: Previously, the deadline to apply for P-EBT was July 15th. That deadline was extended by IDHS.
Note: When applying for P-EBT, you are not required to enter a Social Security Number (SSN)! The application will ask for your SSN, but this is optional. However, inputting your SSN (if you have one) will allow your application to be processed more quickly.
UPDATE: For families who were enrolled in free and reduced price meals in March, if they enroll in SNAP or P-EBT in June, they will get P-EBT benefits retroactive to March – approximately $342 worth of benefits.
CPS families are automatically enrolled in free and reduced price meals. Therefore, all CPS families are eligible to receive P-EBT benefits retroactive to March.
P-EBT provides an EBT card that can be used at authorized retailers to offset the cost of meals that would have been consumed at school.
P-EBT provides the value of school meals at the rate of $5.70 per child per school day.
All CPS families qualify for P-EBT Benefits, but must submit an application for P-EBT if they are not enrolled in SNAP!
Households with children enrolled in free or reduced-price school meals, or with a child attending a school that provides all meals for free, can apply directly for P-EBT.
Households at or below 185% of the federal poverty guideline but who are not receiving SNAP or free or reduced-price school meals should first call their child’s school to enroll in free or reduced-price meals and then apply for P-EBT.
CPS families do not need to do this. They should apply directly for P-EBT.
Current SNAP participants are automatically eligible for P-EBT and should see the benefit increase on their LINK card.
P-EBT will be in place until August 31st, 2020.
Info for Immigrants and Refugees:
The public charge test does not consider receipt of P-EBT benefits. Using P-EBT benefits will not impact a parent or child’s immigration status.
Undocumented households with school-aged children are eligible for P-EBT.
A Social Security Number (SSN) is not required to apply for P-EBT. The application asks applicants for their SSN, but this is an optional question.
The deadline to apply for P-EBT in Illinois is now August 31st.
Current and newly approved SNAP recipients will automatically see these benefits deposited on their LINK Card.
Those not currently on SNAP will have to complete a simplified application and if approved will be mailed a LINK card. This application can be completed through the ABE Online Application system. Approved applicants will receive a LINK card in the mail.
To apply for P-EBT directly through IDHS, use the ABE Online Application system or call 800-843-6154. There’s also a paper application that can be filled out and faxed or emailed to IDHS – links to the paper application can be found below.
If you have any questions for IDHS, issues applying, or are wrongfully denied P-EBT benefits, you can contact IDHS by emailing dhs.fcs.pebt@illinois.gov.
Northwest Food Partners Network 