Children who get free or reduced-price lunches and are absent from school because of COVID-19 will still be able to receive a meal after the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services got approval to continue the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer program for the current school year.
Children 5 years old and younger who already receive SNAP benefits are also eligible.
"The P-EBT program has been a critical resource for so many North Carolina families," said Susan Gale Perry, NCDHHS Chief Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being. "When a child misses a day of school or child care, the reality for many is missing out on meals that day too. The P-EBT program has helped to fill in the gaps for more than 1.6 million children since the beginning of the pandemic and we look forward to providing more nutrition assistance this school year."
P-EBT program provides benefits on a debit-like card that can be used to buy food at most major grocery stores.
