P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions Updated Dec. 15, 2021 P-EBT is a collaboration between the NC Department of Health and Human Services and the NC Department of Public Instruction. Review the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below for more information about who is eligible and how families will receive the benefit during the 2021-22 school year. Return to P-EBT Main Page About Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program What is P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer)? Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is a food assistance program that helps families with children who are unable to access free or reduced-price meals at school or in childcare centers when they are not physically present because of COVID-19. P-EBT has two eligible groups: Student and Child Care (previously known as Children Under 6). P-EBT gives eligible children food assistance benefits on a debit-like card for families to buy food at participating stores, including most grocery stores. These benefits will be electronically placed on your P-EBT or FNS EBT card. P-EBT is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been approved to continue Student P-EBT through the 2021-22 school year, however there are some changes in eligibility criteria and benefit amounts this year. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” for more information. Important: North Carolina has not yet been approved to administer Child Care P-EBT. These FAQs will be updated once USDA approves the State’s plan. Do households need to apply for P-EBT? There is no application for P-EBT benefits. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” for information on how students are determined eligible. You may check to see if your student is eligible for Student P-EBT for a given month using the Student P-EBT Eligibility Flowchart in English or Spanish. Important Student P-EBT requirement: Students must be approved for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program to be considered for P-EBT. If you would like more information on how to apply for free or reduced-price meals at participating schools, please contact your child’s school (see “What is the National School Lunch Program? How do I know if my school participates?”). Important Child Care P-EBT requirement (formerly called Children Under 6): Children 5 years old or younger who are not students must receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) benefits to be eligible for P-EBT. If you would like more information on how to apply for FNS, please visit the Food and Nutrition Services webpage. NOTE: North Carolina cannot issue P-EBT benefits for this group until federal approval for this year is received. Why did my child receive P-EBT last year but not this year? Eligibility for P-EBT and benefit amounts have changed this year and are now based on the individual student’s attendance record, not the circumstances of the school. Refer to “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” to learn more. With USDA’s new P-EBT program rules and most schools back to in-person learning with students having their meals at school, many households who received P-EBT benefits last year will not get them this year or may only get a small amount for the days when their student is in quarantine and/or temporary virtual instruction. Refer to “What is a COVID-19 related absence? What counts as quarantine and temporary virtual instruction? Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID-19?” for more information about eligible benefit days. If your child is not eligible, there are other resources that may be available if your household does not have access to food for proper nutrition. See “If my child does not qualify to receive P-EBT benefits, what other food assistance resources are available to me?” for more information. Be sure to confirm and update your household’s information with your FNS case worker or student’s school to ensure that benefits are correctly issued if your student becomes eligible at any time in the school year. Eligibility for Student P-EBT in the 2021-22 School Year Who is eligible for Student P-EBT? Eligibility criteria has changed for Student P-EBT this school year to comply with federal rules and eligibility is now based on the attendance of an individual student, not the circumstances of the school. There is still no application for P-EBT. You may check to see if your student is eligible for P-EBT for a given month using the Student P-EBT Eligibility Flowchart in English or Spanish. New this year, students must have experienced temporary virtual instruction and/or a period of quarantine to receive Student P-EBT benefits and this must be marked in their attendance record. Like last year, students also must be approved for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) free or reduced-price meal program to be eligible for Student P-EBT. Please contact your child’s school if you would like to apply for NSLP free or reduced-price meals. Students must meet ALL 3 of the following requirements to be eligible for P-EBT: Student attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program. See “What is the National School Lunch Program? How do I know if my child’s school participates?” for more information. Please note that virtual academies and schools are not NSLP eligible and therefore students enrolled in those schools will not receive P-EBT. Check this list to see if your child’s school participates in the NSLP. Student is approved for free or reduced-price meals through the NSLP. You DO need to apply for NSLP free or reduced-price meals through your school if: Your child attends a school that participates in the NSLP and is not in any of the categories listed below. You do NOT need to apply for NSLP if your child is in any of these categories: Your child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school. Check this list to see if your child’s school is a CEP school. Your household receives FNS. You should automatically be approved for NSLP free or reduced-price school meals through Direct Certification (automatic enrollment) between DHHS and DPI. Your child is categorically eligible through circumstances such as homeless, foster, or migrant. Children in these circumstances are automatically eligible for NSLP free or reduced-price meals when the school knows about these situations. If you would like to report that your child is experiencing any of these situations, please contact your child’s school. Student has been away from school in quarantine and/or in temporary virtual instruction while enrolled in a NSLP participating physical school. See “What is a COVID-19 related absence? What counts as quarantine and temporary virtual instruction? Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID-19?.” Please note students enrolled in virtual academies and virtual schools cannot receive P-EBT even if they are quarantined because federal rules state that these schools cannot participate in the NSLP. North Carolina cannot change this rule. Visit this link to see if your child’s school participates in the National School Lunch Program or was a CEP school for the 2021-22 school year. See “How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined?” for information on benefit amount. How can I check if my student is eligible? You may check to see if your student is eligible for Student P-EBT for a given month using the Student P-EBT Eligibility Flowchart in English or Spanish. What is the National School Lunch Program? How do I know if my school participates? The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a food assistance program for eligible students that provides them with free or reduced-price meals through their school. Your child must attend a school that participates in NSLP to be considered for P-EBT. Most public schools participate. Some charter and private schools participate, but some do not. Virtual schools are not eligible. Find out if your child’s school participates in the NSLP for the 2021-22 school year. Households approved for Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) are automatically qualified for NSLP free or reduced-price meals. Households that do not receive FNS can apply for free or reduced-price meals through their participating school. In some schools, called CEP schools (Community Eligibility Provision), all students in the school are eligible for the NSLP free or reduced-price meals. Determine if your child’s school is a CEP school for the 2021-22 school year. Some schools provide free school meals to all students through programs different from the NSLP CEP meal program and these other programs are not related to P-EBT. If your child’s school provides free meals through another program, you can still submit an application for the NSLP free or reduced-price meal program through the school in order to be considered for P-EBT eligibility. What is a COVID-19 related absence? What counts as quarantine and temporary virtual instruction? Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID-19? A COVID-19 related absence means that a student is not physically present in the school building for in-person instruction because of a COVID-19 related situation. This includes quarantine and temporary virtual instruction. For example, if your child’s school communicates that all (or some) students will have online class for two weeks because of a COVID-19 outbreak, this would be considered a COVID-19 related absence from school. Quarantine (attendance code: 1D) refers to when the school tells the student to stay home because of COVID-19 related symptoms, illness, or exposure or a parent/guardian informs the school about a student's COVID-19 related symptoms, illness, or exposure and the school approves the absence. Temporary virtual instruction (attendance code: 1R for present off-site) refers to when the student is enrolled in a physical school but is in virtual or remote learning for a temporary period because of COVID-19. Students can be in temporary virtual instruction only if they are enrolled in a physical school. Your child’s school will determine if their absence is related to COVID-19 and will record that in their attendance record using specific codes. Contact your child’s school if you have questions about your child’s attendance record. Eligibility for Child Care P-EBT in the 2021-22 School Year When will Child Care P-EBT (formerly called Children Under 6) benefits be issued this year? North Carolina is still waiting for federal USDA approval to move forward with the P-EBT program for children under age 6. The P-EBT website will be updated with more information as it becomes available. P-EBT Amount and When to Expect the Benefit My child did not receive P-EBT but I think they should have. What should I do? First, refer to “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” to see if your child meets the new criteria to be eligible. Be sure to check your child’s attendance record to confirm their eligibility each month. Then, if you believe your child is eligible and you have an FNS card or existing P-EBT card, check to see if the benefits have been issued to that card (see “How do I check my P-EBT card balance?”). Please note that benefit issuance will be spread over several days each month, so allow time for the benefits to be deposited. With USDA’s new P-EBT program rules and most students back to in-person learning and getting meals at school, most households who received P-EBT benefits last year will not get them this year or may only get a small amount for when their student’s attendance record shows days in quarantine and/or temporary virtual instruction. If you still believe your child is eligible and have confirmed that you have not received benefits by following the instructions above, you can contact the EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141. Is eligibility and benefit amount determined per student or per household? Will all my children receive the same amount? Eligibility and benefit amount for P-EBT is determined for each individual student each month. If a household has more than one eligible student, the students may receive different benefit amounts based on their school attendance record. If the students attend different schools, eligibility for P-EBT benefits can vary by child (see “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?”). How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined? Benefit amounts for Student P-EBT are determined by school attendance records reported by the child’s school. The benefit amount will be calculated using the number of days the student’s attendance record shows they were quarantined and/or in temporary virtual instruction (P-EBT eligible days) within the month. The student will receive $7.10 for each eligible day. Benefit calculation formula: Number of days in quarantine/temporary virtual instruction. x $7.10 (daily benefit rate) benefit amount for the month Example: In February a student spent 5 days in quarantine, 5 days in temporary virtual instruction, and 9 days at school in-person for a total of 10 P-EBT eligible days. Ten days multiplied by the $7.10 daily benefit rate equals a benefit amount of $71.00 for the month of February. These benefits will be issued by the end of March. Since most students are attending school in person, most students will not get P-EBT benefits. Students will only get benefits for months when they have a COVID-19 related absence from school (quarantine or temporary virtual instruction). Benefit amounts will vary by month and by student depending on attendance records. Important: If you believe you got the wrong benefit amount because of the number of days your child was in quarantine or temporary virtual instruction (see “What is a COVID-19 related absence?” Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID 19?” for more information and definitions of these terms). You can then contact your child’s school to review their attendance record and ask the school to update the records if they are wrong. Changes to attendance are at the school’s discretion. Could my child receive different amounts or no benefits for different months? Yes. For Student P-EBT, the benefit amount is calculated using attendance records submitted by the student’s school. A student may have no virtual instruction or quarantine days in a month, which would equal $0 in P-EBT benefits. In addition, the number of days in temporary virtual instruction or quarantine (if any) will change each month, resulting in a different P-EBT benefit amount. Because of this, the student may get no benefits for one month, and different benefit amounts other months based on the number of eligible days in their attendance record. Please refer to “How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined?” for more information. How and When the Benefit Will Be Provided How and when will I receive P-EBT? How often will I receive P-EBT in 2021? How: Letters notifying of eligibility for P-EBT will be mailed to you the first month your child is determined eligible for benefits this year. Households that have gotten P-EBT benefits in the past should keep their existing card because any future benefits for which they are eligible will be put on that card (Note: all foster care students will get new P-EBT cards for this year). If a household receives FNS, P-EBT benefits will be put on their FNS EBT card. In some cases, these households may receive a new card with their benefits. Benefits for students who have not gotten P-EBT before and who do not receive FNS will get their benefits on a new P-EBT card. This card will arrive in the mail 1-2 weeks after the P-EBT issuance. If an original P-EBT card has been lost or destroyed, a new card can be ordered at www.ebtEdge.com, on the ebtEDGE mobile app, or by contacting the EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141 (see “I never received (or lost) my P-EBT card. How can I request a new one?”). When: First issuance for the 2021-22 school year The first issuance of P-EBT benefits will be for students who were eligible between the months of September to November 2021. Students will only get benefits for months they are eligible according to their school attendance record and many students will not get P-EBT benefits every month. Those who are eligible will receive a letter of eligibility in the mail. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” and “How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined?” for more information. September, October, and November benefits will be issued mid to late January 2022. DHHS will post on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter when the issuance begins. P-EBT benefits will show up on existing EBT cards 1-4 days after the benefits are issued. Those who are newly eligible for P-EBT benefits but do not already have an EBT card can expect to get their EBT card through the mail 1-2 weeks after the P-EBT issuance. If you are eligible for multiple months, they may be deposited on your EBT card over several days. Ongoing issuances for the rest of the 2021-22 school year Regularly scheduled benefit issuance will begin in January. Benefits will be issued retroactively starting with December benefits issued in January. This means students will receive benefits one month after the month that they are eligible (February benefits will be issued in March, March benefits will be issued in April, and so on). DHHS aims to issue benefits in the last week of each month (approximately between the 25th-30th of each month). With each issuance, benefits will be put on cards over 3 days, so your benefit may be deposited up to 3 days after benefits are issued. How will students in foster care and/or those homeless or migrant get P-EBT benefits? Children in foster care, impacted by homelessness, or migrant who are eligible under the established criteria may receive P-EBT benefits. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT” for information on eligibility criteria. If you never received your P-EBT card, are unable to get your card, or if your card is lost, refer to “I never received (or lost) my P-EBT card. How can I request a new one?” to learn how to request a new card. Students in Foster Care New P-EBT cards will be mailed out for all children in foster care the first month that they are eligible. Cards will be issued in the child's name and mailed to the local county DSS office that has custody of the foster care student. The student's foster care social worker will get the card to the student. P-EBT is for the benefit of the child and any remaining benefits should follow the student when they change placements or are reunited with the family. The child's foster care social worker will make sure the P-EBT card moves with the foster child when they experience placement changes. Please contact the student's foster care social worker for any questions about getting their P-EBT card. Students that are homeless or migrant If you already have an FNS card or P-EBT card and are eligible for P-EBT benefits again this year, you can expect to receive P-EBT benefits on the card you already have in most cases. If you become eligible for P-EBT for the first time this year and do not have an FNS EBT card, then a P-EBT card will be mailed to the last known student address on record in your FNS case (if you have one) or the last known address at the student’s school. Families are encouraged to confirm this address is correct and update the address if it is wrong. If you get FNS benefits you can change your address by calling your FNS caseworker. If you do not get FNS benefits, you can update your address with your student’s school. I never received (or lost) my P-EBT card. How can I request a new one? If an original P-EBT card was never received or has been lost, damaged or stolen, a new card can be ordered at www.ebtEdge.com or by contacting the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328. To request a new card using www.ebtEdge.com follow the steps below. Once you’ve completed the steps below, your current card will be canceled, and you will not be able to access your benefits until your new card arrives in 1-2 weeks. Log into the Cardholder Portal. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). Select a card from the Welcome page, then select “Replace Card.” Select the reason for your new card request (lost, damaged, or stolen). Verify your identity by following the prompts. A confirmation message will appear on the screen that your request was successfully processed. Your current card will be canceled, and you will not be able to access your benefits until your new card arrives in 1-2 weeks. Once you receive a new card, you must activate it. Please see “How do I activate my P-EBT card and create a Personal Identification Number (PIN)? What date of birth (DOB) do I use to activate my card?” for a step-by-step guide. Please note: if you receive an error message at any point in this process you can contact the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328. What if I receive a card that has my child’s benefits but someone else’s name on the card? Student P-EBT benefits are issued to the address and caregiver provided by the child’s school. The P-EBT card might be in the parent or guardian’s name. It is okay to use the card that was provided to you if the student(s) is in your care and you provide their meals. If you believe the benefits were incorrectly issued, please contact the North Carolina EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141. My child has changed caregivers. How will this affect eligibility and benefits? P-EBT benefits are intended to help provide meals for the eligible student, so when the student changes households or caregivers, the benefits should go with them. The caregiver is the person that provides the meals for the student. If the student is moving to a household that receives FNS: Report the household change to your FNS case worker at your local DSS office so the child can be added to your FNS case. Once the change in your FNS case is complete, any future P-EBT benefits will be provided to the new household on their FNS card. Any remaining benefits issued before the change will remain with the prior FNS account. If the student is moving to a household that does not receive FNS: Update both the student’s caregiver and student’s address at their school. It’s important that both are updated at the same time to ensure benefits are issued to the correct household. Once the changes have been made, any future P-EBT benefits will be provided to the new household on a new P-EBT card that will be mailed to the student’s new address. Any benefits still with the prior P-EBT account will remain with that account. The prior caregiver can give the new caregiver the P-EBT card to go with the child. How to Use the P-EBT Card How do I activate my P-EBT card and create/change a Personal Identification Number (PIN)? What date of birth (DOB) do I use to activate my card? When your P-EBT card arrives it will already have the benefits that your student was eligible for. To access these benefits, you will need to activate your card and create a PIN. You can easily set your PIN three ways: online by visiting www.ebtEdge.com, through the ebtEDGE mobile app, or through the EBT Call Center IVR. Important: To activate your card, you will be asked to enter the date of birth (DOB) associated with the card. Enter the DOB of the youngest student in the household who attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program. Enter the DOB as two digits for the month, two digits for the day, and four digits for the year (MM/DD/YYYY). For example, January 24, 2014 would be entered as 01242014. If there are multiple children in your household, you may need to try each child’s DOB to successfully activate your P-EBT card. Example: The household consists of 2 students; one is 13 years old (DOB: 04/04/2007) and one is 15 years old (DOB: 01/01/2005), and both are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school. To activate the card, enter the date of birth for the 13-year-old (04042007). If the 13-year-old student’s DOB does not work, enter the 15-year-old student’s DOB (01012005). Option 1: www.ebtEdge.com Log into your account. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). Select a card from the Welcome page. Click on “Pin Select” and enter the requested information to confirm your identity. Confirm your PIN. Click on the “Save” button, and a confirmation message will appear. Option 2: ebtEDGE mobile app (available on iPhone and Android) Download the ebtEDGE mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store. Log into your account. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). Select a card from the Welcome page. Click on “Pin Select” and enter the requested information to confirm your identity. Confirm your PIN. Click on the “Save” button, and a confirmation message will appear. Option 3: EBT Call Center IVR Make sure you have your 16-digit card number readily available. Call 1-888-622-7328 and follow the prompts to activate your card. How do I use ebtEdge (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account? To access your Cardholder Portal, visit www.ebtEdge.com. This makes it easy to check your card balance, review recent transactions, and see when benefits will be available. You will need to have your card number to complete the following steps. To create an online account or use the ebtEDGE mobile app, you will need to register with a valid email address. If you don’t have an email address, you will need to create one. To register for ebtEDge, please follow the instructions below. Visit www.ebtEdge.com and select “Register Here” on the login page. Complete the required fields. Unique User ID Must be between 4-35 characters in length and contain at least one alphabetical character. Password with Confirmation Must be 6-8 characters and contain at least one upper case alphabetical character, one lower case alphabetical character, and one number. Special characters such as @, #, and $ can be used. First Name Last Name Email Address Phone Number Enter only numbers - no dashes, parenthesis, or spaces. You will be redirected to set up challenge questions, these help make sure your account is secure. Select a question from the challenge question drop-down and then input your answer. After all required fields are entered, select “Done.” You will be redirected to link your account to your User ID. Click “Add Account,” enter your card number and validation criteria, and click “Add Card.” How do I check my P-EBT card balance? You can easily check your card balance four ways: online by visiting www.ebtEdge.com, through the ebtEDGE mobile app, by text message, or through the EBT Call Center IVR. Option 1: www.ebtEdge.com To check your balance using www.ebtEdge.com log into your account (see “How do I use ebtEdge (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?” to learn how to set up your account). A list of previous transactions as well as your current balance will show on the screen. Your ebtEdge Cardholder Portal account will show you if there are benefits posted and/or pending, and when those benefits will be available for use. If your Food benefit amount is listed under “Pending Items,” this means that you will not be able to spend them until the date listed below the pending deposit. Option 2: ebtEDGE mobile app (available on iPhone and Android) Download the ebtEDGE mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store. Enable location services when prompted to do so (this helps find nearby EBT stores). Log into your account. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). A list of previous transactions as well as your current balance will show on the screen. Option 3: SMS text messages Checking your balance by text message (SMS) is easy but you will need to link your phone to the account. To do this follow the instructions below and have your cell phone, card number, and PIN with you. Log into your account on www.ebtEdge.com and select a card from the Welcome page. Select “Messaging Registration” on the “Account Services” section of the Account Summary page. Add your cell phone number with area code and click “SMS Balance” and “Text Alerts.” Click on the “Save” button, and a confirmation message will appear. After that is done, at any time you can do the following (these are not case sensitive):To check your balance, text BAL to 42265. To check your last five transactions, text MINI to 42265. To stop receiving these text messages, text STOP to 42265. Please note: If you have to request a new card, it will come pre-registered with SMS and you do not need to repeat these steps. Option 4: EBT Call Center IVR To check your card balance through the EBT Call Center IVR, call 1-888-622-7328 and follow the automated instructions. Please have your card number readily available. What can I buy with my P-EBT benefits? Is there an ID requirement to use the card? The P-EBT card can be used to purchase food items at EBT authorized retailers, including most major grocery stores. Like FNS benefits, hot foods or foods that are already prepared cannot be purchased with your P-EBT benefits. Examples of items you CAN buy with P-EBT benefits: Breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables Meats, fish, poultry, and dairy products Bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages Seeds and plants that produce food Examples of items you CANNOT buy with P-EBT benefits: Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco Any nonfood items, such as: pet foods, soaps, household supplies, vitamins, and medicine Hot or pre-prepared foods Remember to check your balance before you shop (see “How do I check my P-EBT card balance?”) for more information. Grocery stores are aware of the process for P-EBT and have been informed of the card design. Retailers cannot ask for ID for EBT purchases if they do not request ID on regular debit card purchases. How long do I have to use the benefits? P-EBT benefits must be used within 365 days from the date of issuance. You do not have to use all your benefits at one time and any unused benefits will roll over monthly. Do I have to pay the benefits back? No, you will not have to pay back P-EBT benefits. P-EBT is federally funded and there is no cost to the recipient. How do I change the address if it is incorrect or if I have moved? P-EBT letters of eligibility and P-EBT cards for newly eligible students will be sent to the address on record in the FNS case (if you have one), or at the student’s school. Families are encouraged to confirm this address is correct and update it if it is not. The address can be updated by contacting your FNS case worker (if applicable), the child’s school, and the EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141. Families that received P-EBT previously and still have their P-EBT card should have access to the benefits on that card. Families who no longer have their P-EBT card and need a new card can call 1-888-622-7328. Please confirm the mailing address when ordering a new card. Other Information What if I do not want P-EBT benefits? If families do not wish to receive P-EBT benefits for their children, they should destroy the P-EBT card. If they change their mind, they may call the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328 to request a replacement card at any time prior to the expiration of the benefits (365 days after the benefits are issued). Does the legal and/or immigration status of the child affect eligibility for P-EBT? Any child that meets eligibility requirements as identified above will be eligible for P-EBT, regardless of their legal or immigration status. Receiving P-EBT food assistance does not impact your immigration status and will not impact a future immigration application you may file. Does P-EBT replace other COVID-19 supplements, other Food and Nutrition Service benefits, or meals children may be receiving at schools/community meal sites at this time? No. P-EBT food assistance is a benefit that children may get when they are unable to get their free or reduced-price meal at school through the National School Lunch Program. Receiving P-EBT will not disqualify you or your child from accessing other food programs. If my child does not qualify to receive P-EBT benefits, what other food assistance resources are available to me? If you would like information on other food resources, visit NC 2-1-1 United Way or dial 2-1-1 or 1-888-892-1162 to speak with someone who can tell you about resources in your area. Please note that 2-1-1 cannot assist with P-EBT eligibility or benefit amount. To see if you may be eligible for FNS food assistance benefits, visit NCDHHS’ FNS webpage.
P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions Updated Dec. 15, 2021 P-EBT is a collaboration between the NC Department of Health and Human Services and the NC Department of Public Instruction. Review the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below for more information about who is eligible and how families will receive the benefit during the 2021-22 school year. Return to P-EBT Main Page About Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program What is P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer)? Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is a food assistance program that helps families with children who are unable to access free or reduced-price meals at school or in childcare centers when they are not physically present because of COVID-19. P-EBT has two eligible groups: Student and Child Care (previously known as Children Under 6). P-EBT gives eligible children food assistance benefits on a debit-like card for families to buy food at participating stores, including most grocery stores. These benefits will be electronically placed on your P-EBT or FNS EBT card. P-EBT is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been approved to continue Student P-EBT through the 2021-22 school year, however there are some changes in eligibility criteria and benefit amounts this year. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” for more information. Important: North Carolina has not yet been approved to administer Child Care P-EBT. These FAQs will be updated once USDA approves the State’s plan. Do households need to apply for P-EBT? There is no application for P-EBT benefits. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” for information on how students are determined eligible. You may check to see if your student is eligible for Student P-EBT for a given month using the Student P-EBT Eligibility Flowchart in English or Spanish. Important Student P-EBT requirement: Students must be approved for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program to be considered for P-EBT. If you would like more information on how to apply for free or reduced-price meals at participating schools, please contact your child’s school (see “What is the National School Lunch Program? How do I know if my school participates?”). Important Child Care P-EBT requirement (formerly called Children Under 6): Children 5 years old or younger who are not students must receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) benefits to be eligible for P-EBT. If you would like more information on how to apply for FNS, please visit the Food and Nutrition Services webpage. NOTE: North Carolina cannot issue P-EBT benefits for this group until federal approval for this year is received. Why did my child receive P-EBT last year but not this year? Eligibility for P-EBT and benefit amounts have changed this year and are now based on the individual student’s attendance record, not the circumstances of the school. Refer to “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” to learn more. With USDA’s new P-EBT program rules and most schools back to in-person learning with students having their meals at school, many households who received P-EBT benefits last year will not get them this year or may only get a small amount for the days when their student is in quarantine and/or temporary virtual instruction. Refer to “What is a COVID-19 related absence? What counts as quarantine and temporary virtual instruction? Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID-19?” for more information about eligible benefit days. If your child is not eligible, there are other resources that may be available if your household does not have access to food for proper nutrition. See “If my child does not qualify to receive P-EBT benefits, what other food assistance resources are available to me?” for more information. Be sure to confirm and update your household’s information with your FNS case worker or student’s school to ensure that benefits are correctly issued if your student becomes eligible at any time in the school year. Eligibility for Student P-EBT in the 2021-22 School Year Who is eligible for Student P-EBT? Eligibility criteria has changed for Student P-EBT this school year to comply with federal rules and eligibility is now based on the attendance of an individual student, not the circumstances of the school. There is still no application for P-EBT. You may check to see if your student is eligible for P-EBT for a given month using the Student P-EBT Eligibility Flowchart in English or Spanish. New this year, students must have experienced temporary virtual instruction and/or a period of quarantine to receive Student P-EBT benefits and this must be marked in their attendance record. Like last year, students also must be approved for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) free or reduced-price meal program to be eligible for Student P-EBT. Please contact your child’s school if you would like to apply for NSLP free or reduced-price meals. Students must meet ALL 3 of the following requirements to be eligible for P-EBT: Student attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program. See “What is the National School Lunch Program? How do I know if my child’s school participates?” for more information. Please note that virtual academies and schools are not NSLP eligible and therefore students enrolled in those schools will not receive P-EBT. Check this list to see if your child’s school participates in the NSLP. Student is approved for free or reduced-price meals through the NSLP. You DO need to apply for NSLP free or reduced-price meals through your school if: Your child attends a school that participates in the NSLP and is not in any of the categories listed below. You do NOT need to apply for NSLP if your child is in any of these categories: Your child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school. Check this list to see if your child’s school is a CEP school. Your household receives FNS. You should automatically be approved for NSLP free or reduced-price school meals through Direct Certification (automatic enrollment) between DHHS and DPI. Your child is categorically eligible through circumstances such as homeless, foster, or migrant. Children in these circumstances are automatically eligible for NSLP free or reduced-price meals when the school knows about these situations. If you would like to report that your child is experiencing any of these situations, please contact your child’s school. Student has been away from school in quarantine and/or in temporary virtual instruction while enrolled in a NSLP participating physical school. See “What is a COVID-19 related absence? What counts as quarantine and temporary virtual instruction? Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID-19?.” Please note students enrolled in virtual academies and virtual schools cannot receive P-EBT even if they are quarantined because federal rules state that these schools cannot participate in the NSLP. North Carolina cannot change this rule. Visit this link to see if your child’s school participates in the National School Lunch Program or was a CEP school for the 2021-22 school year. See “How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined?” for information on benefit amount. How can I check if my student is eligible? You may check to see if your student is eligible for Student P-EBT for a given month using the Student P-EBT Eligibility Flowchart in English or Spanish. What is the National School Lunch Program? How do I know if my school participates? The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a food assistance program for eligible students that provides them with free or reduced-price meals through their school. Your child must attend a school that participates in NSLP to be considered for P-EBT. Most public schools participate. Some charter and private schools participate, but some do not. Virtual schools are not eligible. Find out if your child’s school participates in the NSLP for the 2021-22 school year. Households approved for Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) are automatically qualified for NSLP free or reduced-price meals. Households that do not receive FNS can apply for free or reduced-price meals through their participating school. In some schools, called CEP schools (Community Eligibility Provision), all students in the school are eligible for the NSLP free or reduced-price meals. Determine if your child’s school is a CEP school for the 2021-22 school year. Some schools provide free school meals to all students through programs different from the NSLP CEP meal program and these other programs are not related to P-EBT. If your child’s school provides free meals through another program, you can still submit an application for the NSLP free or reduced-price meal program through the school in order to be considered for P-EBT eligibility. What is a COVID-19 related absence? What counts as quarantine and temporary virtual instruction? Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID-19? A COVID-19 related absence means that a student is not physically present in the school building for in-person instruction because of a COVID-19 related situation. This includes quarantine and temporary virtual instruction. For example, if your child’s school communicates that all (or some) students will have online class for two weeks because of a COVID-19 outbreak, this would be considered a COVID-19 related absence from school. Quarantine (attendance code: 1D) refers to when the school tells the student to stay home because of COVID-19 related symptoms, illness, or exposure or a parent/guardian informs the school about a student's COVID-19 related symptoms, illness, or exposure and the school approves the absence. Temporary virtual instruction (attendance code: 1R for present off-site) refers to when the student is enrolled in a physical school but is in virtual or remote learning for a temporary period because of COVID-19. Students can be in temporary virtual instruction only if they are enrolled in a physical school. Your child’s school will determine if their absence is related to COVID-19 and will record that in their attendance record using specific codes. Contact your child’s school if you have questions about your child’s attendance record. Eligibility for Child Care P-EBT in the 2021-22 School Year When will Child Care P-EBT (formerly called Children Under 6) benefits be issued this year? North Carolina is still waiting for federal USDA approval to move forward with the P-EBT program for children under age 6. The P-EBT website will be updated with more information as it becomes available. P-EBT Amount and When to Expect the Benefit My child did not receive P-EBT but I think they should have. What should I do? First, refer to “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” to see if your child meets the new criteria to be eligible. Be sure to check your child’s attendance record to confirm their eligibility each month. Then, if you believe your child is eligible and you have an FNS card or existing P-EBT card, check to see if the benefits have been issued to that card (see “How do I check my P-EBT card balance?”). Please note that benefit issuance will be spread over several days each month, so allow time for the benefits to be deposited. With USDA’s new P-EBT program rules and most students back to in-person learning and getting meals at school, most households who received P-EBT benefits last year will not get them this year or may only get a small amount for when their student’s attendance record shows days in quarantine and/or temporary virtual instruction. If you still believe your child is eligible and have confirmed that you have not received benefits by following the instructions above, you can contact the EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141. Is eligibility and benefit amount determined per student or per household? Will all my children receive the same amount? Eligibility and benefit amount for P-EBT is determined for each individual student each month. If a household has more than one eligible student, the students may receive different benefit amounts based on their school attendance record. If the students attend different schools, eligibility for P-EBT benefits can vary by child (see “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?”). How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined? Benefit amounts for Student P-EBT are determined by school attendance records reported by the child’s school. The benefit amount will be calculated using the number of days the student’s attendance record shows they were quarantined and/or in temporary virtual instruction (P-EBT eligible days) within the month. The student will receive $7.10 for each eligible day. Benefit calculation formula: Number of days in quarantine/temporary virtual instruction. x $7.10 (daily benefit rate) benefit amount for the month Example: In February a student spent 5 days in quarantine, 5 days in temporary virtual instruction, and 9 days at school in-person for a total of 10 P-EBT eligible days. Ten days multiplied by the $7.10 daily benefit rate equals a benefit amount of $71.00 for the month of February. These benefits will be issued by the end of March. Since most students are attending school in person, most students will not get P-EBT benefits. Students will only get benefits for months when they have a COVID-19 related absence from school (quarantine or temporary virtual instruction). Benefit amounts will vary by month and by student depending on attendance records. Important: If you believe you got the wrong benefit amount because of the number of days your child was in quarantine or temporary virtual instruction (see “What is a COVID-19 related absence?” Who determines if my child’s absence was related to COVID 19?” for more information and definitions of these terms). You can then contact your child’s school to review their attendance record and ask the school to update the records if they are wrong. Changes to attendance are at the school’s discretion. Could my child receive different amounts or no benefits for different months? Yes. For Student P-EBT, the benefit amount is calculated using attendance records submitted by the student’s school. A student may have no virtual instruction or quarantine days in a month, which would equal $0 in P-EBT benefits. In addition, the number of days in temporary virtual instruction or quarantine (if any) will change each month, resulting in a different P-EBT benefit amount. Because of this, the student may get no benefits for one month, and different benefit amounts other months based on the number of eligible days in their attendance record. Please refer to “How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined?” for more information. How and When the Benefit Will Be Provided How and when will I receive P-EBT? How often will I receive P-EBT in 2021? How: Letters notifying of eligibility for P-EBT will be mailed to you the first month your child is determined eligible for benefits this year. Households that have gotten P-EBT benefits in the past should keep their existing card because any future benefits for which they are eligible will be put on that card (Note: all foster care students will get new P-EBT cards for this year). If a household receives FNS, P-EBT benefits will be put on their FNS EBT card. In some cases, these households may receive a new card with their benefits. Benefits for students who have not gotten P-EBT before and who do not receive FNS will get their benefits on a new P-EBT card. This card will arrive in the mail 1-2 weeks after the P-EBT issuance. If an original P-EBT card has been lost or destroyed, a new card can be ordered at www.ebtEdge.com, on the ebtEDGE mobile app, or by contacting the EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141 (see “I never received (or lost) my P-EBT card. How can I request a new one?”). When: First issuance for the 2021-22 school year The first issuance of P-EBT benefits will be for students who were eligible between the months of September to November 2021. Students will only get benefits for months they are eligible according to their school attendance record and many students will not get P-EBT benefits every month. Those who are eligible will receive a letter of eligibility in the mail. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT?” and “How much will I get in benefits? How is the benefit amount determined?” for more information. September, October, and November benefits will be issued mid to late January 2022. DHHS will post on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter when the issuance begins. P-EBT benefits will show up on existing EBT cards 1-4 days after the benefits are issued. Those who are newly eligible for P-EBT benefits but do not already have an EBT card can expect to get their EBT card through the mail 1-2 weeks after the P-EBT issuance. If you are eligible for multiple months, they may be deposited on your EBT card over several days. Ongoing issuances for the rest of the 2021-22 school year Regularly scheduled benefit issuance will begin in January. Benefits will be issued retroactively starting with December benefits issued in January. This means students will receive benefits one month after the month that they are eligible (February benefits will be issued in March, March benefits will be issued in April, and so on). DHHS aims to issue benefits in the last week of each month (approximately between the 25th-30th of each month). With each issuance, benefits will be put on cards over 3 days, so your benefit may be deposited up to 3 days after benefits are issued. How will students in foster care and/or those homeless or migrant get P-EBT benefits? Children in foster care, impacted by homelessness, or migrant who are eligible under the established criteria may receive P-EBT benefits. See “Who is eligible for Student P-EBT” for information on eligibility criteria. If you never received your P-EBT card, are unable to get your card, or if your card is lost, refer to “I never received (or lost) my P-EBT card. How can I request a new one?” to learn how to request a new card. Students in Foster Care New P-EBT cards will be mailed out for all children in foster care the first month that they are eligible. Cards will be issued in the child's name and mailed to the local county DSS office that has custody of the foster care student. The student's foster care social worker will get the card to the student. P-EBT is for the benefit of the child and any remaining benefits should follow the student when they change placements or are reunited with the family. The child's foster care social worker will make sure the P-EBT card moves with the foster child when they experience placement changes. Please contact the student's foster care social worker for any questions about getting their P-EBT card. Students that are homeless or migrant If you already have an FNS card or P-EBT card and are eligible for P-EBT benefits again this year, you can expect to receive P-EBT benefits on the card you already have in most cases. If you become eligible for P-EBT for the first time this year and do not have an FNS EBT card, then a P-EBT card will be mailed to the last known student address on record in your FNS case (if you have one) or the last known address at the student’s school. Families are encouraged to confirm this address is correct and update the address if it is wrong. If you get FNS benefits you can change your address by calling your FNS caseworker. If you do not get FNS benefits, you can update your address with your student’s school. I never received (or lost) my P-EBT card. How can I request a new one? If an original P-EBT card was never received or has been lost, damaged or stolen, a new card can be ordered at www.ebtEdge.com or by contacting the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328. To request a new card using www.ebtEdge.com follow the steps below. Once you’ve completed the steps below, your current card will be canceled, and you will not be able to access your benefits until your new card arrives in 1-2 weeks. Log into the Cardholder Portal. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). Select a card from the Welcome page, then select “Replace Card.” Select the reason for your new card request (lost, damaged, or stolen). Verify your identity by following the prompts. A confirmation message will appear on the screen that your request was successfully processed. Your current card will be canceled, and you will not be able to access your benefits until your new card arrives in 1-2 weeks. Once you receive a new card, you must activate it. Please see “How do I activate my P-EBT card and create a Personal Identification Number (PIN)? What date of birth (DOB) do I use to activate my card?” for a step-by-step guide. Please note: if you receive an error message at any point in this process you can contact the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328. What if I receive a card that has my child’s benefits but someone else’s name on the card? Student P-EBT benefits are issued to the address and caregiver provided by the child’s school. The P-EBT card might be in the parent or guardian’s name. It is okay to use the card that was provided to you if the student(s) is in your care and you provide their meals. If you believe the benefits were incorrectly issued, please contact the North Carolina EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141. My child has changed caregivers. How will this affect eligibility and benefits? P-EBT benefits are intended to help provide meals for the eligible student, so when the student changes households or caregivers, the benefits should go with them. The caregiver is the person that provides the meals for the student. If the student is moving to a household that receives FNS: Report the household change to your FNS case worker at your local DSS office so the child can be added to your FNS case. Once the change in your FNS case is complete, any future P-EBT benefits will be provided to the new household on their FNS card. Any remaining benefits issued before the change will remain with the prior FNS account. If the student is moving to a household that does not receive FNS: Update both the student’s caregiver and student’s address at their school. It’s important that both are updated at the same time to ensure benefits are issued to the correct household. Once the changes have been made, any future P-EBT benefits will be provided to the new household on a new P-EBT card that will be mailed to the student’s new address. Any benefits still with the prior P-EBT account will remain with that account. The prior caregiver can give the new caregiver the P-EBT card to go with the child. How to Use the P-EBT Card How do I activate my P-EBT card and create/change a Personal Identification Number (PIN)? What date of birth (DOB) do I use to activate my card? When your P-EBT card arrives it will already have the benefits that your student was eligible for. To access these benefits, you will need to activate your card and create a PIN. You can easily set your PIN three ways: online by visiting www.ebtEdge.com, through the ebtEDGE mobile app, or through the EBT Call Center IVR. Important: To activate your card, you will be asked to enter the date of birth (DOB) associated with the card. Enter the DOB of the youngest student in the household who attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program. Enter the DOB as two digits for the month, two digits for the day, and four digits for the year (MM/DD/YYYY). For example, January 24, 2014 would be entered as 01242014. If there are multiple children in your household, you may need to try each child’s DOB to successfully activate your P-EBT card. Example: The household consists of 2 students; one is 13 years old (DOB: 04/04/2007) and one is 15 years old (DOB: 01/01/2005), and both are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school. To activate the card, enter the date of birth for the 13-year-old (04042007). If the 13-year-old student’s DOB does not work, enter the 15-year-old student’s DOB (01012005). Option 1: www.ebtEdge.com Log into your account. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). Select a card from the Welcome page. Click on “Pin Select” and enter the requested information to confirm your identity. Confirm your PIN. Click on the “Save” button, and a confirmation message will appear. Option 2: ebtEDGE mobile app (available on iPhone and Android) Download the ebtEDGE mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store. Log into your account. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). Select a card from the Welcome page. Click on “Pin Select” and enter the requested information to confirm your identity. Confirm your PIN. Click on the “Save” button, and a confirmation message will appear. Option 3: EBT Call Center IVR Make sure you have your 16-digit card number readily available. Call 1-888-622-7328 and follow the prompts to activate your card. How do I use ebtEdge (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account? To access your Cardholder Portal, visit www.ebtEdge.com. This makes it easy to check your card balance, review recent transactions, and see when benefits will be available. You will need to have your card number to complete the following steps. To create an online account or use the ebtEDGE mobile app, you will need to register with a valid email address. If you don’t have an email address, you will need to create one. To register for ebtEDge, please follow the instructions below. Visit www.ebtEdge.com and select “Register Here” on the login page. Complete the required fields. Unique User ID Must be between 4-35 characters in length and contain at least one alphabetical character. Password with Confirmation Must be 6-8 characters and contain at least one upper case alphabetical character, one lower case alphabetical character, and one number. Special characters such as @, #, and $ can be used. First Name Last Name Email Address Phone Number Enter only numbers - no dashes, parenthesis, or spaces. You will be redirected to set up challenge questions, these help make sure your account is secure. Select a question from the challenge question drop-down and then input your answer. After all required fields are entered, select “Done.” You will be redirected to link your account to your User ID. Click “Add Account,” enter your card number and validation criteria, and click “Add Card.” How do I check my P-EBT card balance? You can easily check your card balance four ways: online by visiting www.ebtEdge.com, through the ebtEDGE mobile app, by text message, or through the EBT Call Center IVR. Option 1: www.ebtEdge.com To check your balance using www.ebtEdge.com log into your account (see “How do I use ebtEdge (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?” to learn how to set up your account). A list of previous transactions as well as your current balance will show on the screen. Your ebtEdge Cardholder Portal account will show you if there are benefits posted and/or pending, and when those benefits will be available for use. If your Food benefit amount is listed under “Pending Items,” this means that you will not be able to spend them until the date listed below the pending deposit. Option 2: ebtEDGE mobile app (available on iPhone and Android) Download the ebtEDGE mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store. Enable location services when prompted to do so (this helps find nearby EBT stores). Log into your account. If it is your first time, you will be prompted to register (see “How do I use ebtEDGE (EBT Cardholder Portal) for my EBT account?”). A list of previous transactions as well as your current balance will show on the screen. Option 3: SMS text messages Checking your balance by text message (SMS) is easy but you will need to link your phone to the account. To do this follow the instructions below and have your cell phone, card number, and PIN with you. Log into your account on www.ebtEdge.com and select a card from the Welcome page. Select “Messaging Registration” on the “Account Services” section of the Account Summary page. Add your cell phone number with area code and click “SMS Balance” and “Text Alerts.” Click on the “Save” button, and a confirmation message will appear. After that is done, at any time you can do the following (these are not case sensitive):To check your balance, text BAL to 42265. To check your last five transactions, text MINI to 42265. To stop receiving these text messages, text STOP to 42265. Please note: If you have to request a new card, it will come pre-registered with SMS and you do not need to repeat these steps. Option 4: EBT Call Center IVR To check your card balance through the EBT Call Center IVR, call 1-888-622-7328 and follow the automated instructions. Please have your card number readily available. What can I buy with my P-EBT benefits? Is there an ID requirement to use the card? The P-EBT card can be used to purchase food items at EBT authorized retailers, including most major grocery stores. Like FNS benefits, hot foods or foods that are already prepared cannot be purchased with your P-EBT benefits. Examples of items you CAN buy with P-EBT benefits: Breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables Meats, fish, poultry, and dairy products Bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages Seeds and plants that produce food Examples of items you CANNOT buy with P-EBT benefits: Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco Any nonfood items, such as: pet foods, soaps, household supplies, vitamins, and medicine Hot or pre-prepared foods Remember to check your balance before you shop (see “How do I check my P-EBT card balance?”) for more information. Grocery stores are aware of the process for P-EBT and have been informed of the card design. Retailers cannot ask for ID for EBT purchases if they do not request ID on regular debit card purchases. How long do I have to use the benefits? P-EBT benefits must be used within 365 days from the date of issuance. You do not have to use all your benefits at one time and any unused benefits will roll over monthly. Do I have to pay the benefits back? No, you will not have to pay back P-EBT benefits. P-EBT is federally funded and there is no cost to the recipient. How do I change the address if it is incorrect or if I have moved? P-EBT letters of eligibility and P-EBT cards for newly eligible students will be sent to the address on record in the FNS case (if you have one), or at the student’s school. Families are encouraged to confirm this address is correct and update it if it is not. The address can be updated by contacting your FNS case worker (if applicable), the child’s school, and the EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141. Families that received P-EBT previously and still have their P-EBT card should have access to the benefits on that card. Families who no longer have their P-EBT card and need a new card can call 1-888-622-7328. Please confirm the mailing address when ordering a new card. Other Information What if I do not want P-EBT benefits? If families do not wish to receive P-EBT benefits for their children, they should destroy the P-EBT card. If they change their mind, they may call the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328 to request a replacement card at any time prior to the expiration of the benefits (365 days after the benefits are issued). Does the legal and/or immigration status of the child affect eligibility for P-EBT? Any child that meets eligibility requirements as identified above will be eligible for P-EBT, regardless of their legal or immigration status. Receiving P-EBT food assistance does not impact your immigration status and will not impact a future immigration application you may file. Does P-EBT replace other COVID-19 supplements, other Food and Nutrition Service benefits, or meals children may be receiving at schools/community meal sites at this time? No. P-EBT food assistance is a benefit that children may get when they are unable to get their free or reduced-price meal at school through the National School Lunch Program. Receiving P-EBT will not disqualify you or your child from accessing other food programs. If my child does not qualify to receive P-EBT benefits, what other food assistance resources are available to me? If you would like information on other food resources, visit NC 2-1-1 United Way or dial 2-1-1 or 1-888-892-1162 to speak with someone who can tell you about resources in your area. Please note that 2-1-1 cannot assist with P-EBT eligibility or benefit amount. To see if you may be eligible for FNS food assistance benefits, visit NCDHHS’ FNS webpage.
