The Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia and the Secretary of the Department of the Family, Dr. Carmen Ana González Magaz, along with the administrator of the Administration of Socioeconomic Development (ADSEF) of the Family, Alberto Fradera Vázquez have announced today the start this week of student food disbursements, known as Pandemic EBT (P-EBT). At the time they reported that Puerto Rico received an additional resource allocation that raises profits to $ 450 million in the 2020-2021 school year, to meet the food needs of more than 330,000 eligible students.
“Our families have faced great challenges due to the pandemic and this help represents a great relief in ensuring that our children have access to adequate nutrition. I thank the Department of the Family for their diligence. in getting the distribution of this federal aid, ”the governor argued.
Through the Food and Nutrition Service, President Biden’s administration announced a 15% increase in pay per student. This initial allocation of $ 390.7 million has an increase of $ 59.3 million for the 2020-2021 school year aimed at the food supply of thousands of students participating in the Department of School’s Lunch and School Lunch program. ‘Education and are educated virtually or part-time.
“In the midst of a health emergency, food is essential for families who use this great challenge every day. We thank our allies in the fight to eradicate hunger and food security, such as the Food Coalition and the Youth Development Institute that supported these efforts and along with the administration provided the data needed to achieve the inclusion of Puerto Rico in this legislation, which provides food support to thousands of students in the ‘island, “the Family Secretary noted.
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Approximately 330,000 students in Puerto Rico are eligible for the P-EBT of which 286,787 are students in the public education system and an estimated 50,000 students belong to eligible private or non-profit school entities. Students from families participating in the PA program total 219, 222, who will begin receiving from this week, the first disbursements of the P-EBT that will be distributed through the Family Card automatically, from so they don’t have to do any management with the agency.
“The disbursements of the first phase begin this Friday, February 19, 2021 and continue next week, between Tuesday 23 and Thursday 25 February. We have coordinated with the certified shops of the PA, making sure that they have the necessary supplies and that the health and safety protocols are complied with, “said ADSEF administrator Fradera Vázquez.
Participating students in the PA will receive disbursements according to the last digit of the social security of the account manager on the following dates: digits 0 to 2 is scheduled for Friday, February 19; digits 3 through 5 will be disbursed on Tuesday, February 23; digits 6 and 7 are issued on Wednesday, February 24, while digits 8 and 9 are disbursed on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
“On the first issue each student will receive a retroactive payment of $ 833.14 which includes the period from August 2020 to February 2021. Each subsequent month, benefits will be received monthly by electronic transfer via the Card The new applicants will have a card with a new design, “explained the ADSEF administrator, who clarified that both cards are valid.
It was also announced that the second phase, which includes students from the public school system, who are not beneficiaries of the PA program begins on Monday, February 22, 2021 with the opening of the portal. Families can access the link pr.gov/pebt/ to apply for benefits. Meanwhile, the third phase aimed at students from eligible private or nonprofit institutions participating in the Department of Education’s School Lunch program begins on Friday, February 26, 2021.
P-EBT assistance can be used to purchase unprepared food at the more than 3,000 Nutrition Assistance Program (PA) certified businesses around the island and at Family Markets. Each monthly disbursement can be used for up to a period of six months, so families do not have to make use of the total assistance in a single month. For more information on the calendar, FAQs, and P-EBT disbursement dates go to pr.gov/pebt/.