The Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi and the Secretary of the Department of the Family, Dr. Carmen Ana González Magaz, together with the administrator of the family’s Administration of Socioeconomic Development (ADSEF), Alberto Fradera Vázquez, announced today that this is a start. week of food aid disbursements to students, known as pandemic EBT (P-EBT). At the same time, they reported that Puerto Rico received an additional allocation of resources that will increase the benefits 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 major challenges as a result of the pandemic and this help is a great relief in ensuring that our children have access to adequate food. I thank the Department of Family for their diligence in achieving the distribution of this federal aid, ”said the Governor.
Through the Food and Nutrition Service, President Biden’s administration announced a 15% wage increase per student. This initial allocation of $ 390.7 million represents an increase of $ 59.3 million for the 2020-2021 school year, aiming to provide food support for thousands of students participating in the Department of Education’s School Lunch and School Lunch program, virtually or on time reduced.
“In the midst of a health emergency, food is essential for families who face this great challenge every day. We thank our allies in the fight for the eradication of hunger and food security, such as the Food Coalition and the Institute for Youth Development who supported these efforts and, together with the administration, have provided the necessary data to achieve Puerto Rico’s inclusion in this legislation. , which provides food support to thousands of students on the island, ”said the family secretary.
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About 330,000 students in Puerto Rico are eligible for the P-EBT, of which 286,787 are students from the public education system and an estimated 50,000 students belong to eligible private or non-profit school entities. The students of families participating in the PAN program will total 219, 222, who from this week will start to receive the first payouts of the P-EBT that will be automatically distributed through the family card so that they do not have to spend anything conduct management with the agency.
“Phase one payouts begin next Friday, February 19, 2021, and will continue next week, between Tuesday, February 23 and Thursday, February 25. We have coordinated with PAN’s certified stores to ensure that they have the necessary supplies and that health and safety protocols are adhered to, ”assured ADSEF manager Fradera Vázquez.
The students participating in the PAN will receive the payouts based on the last digit of the account manager’s Social Security number on the following dates: numbers 0 to 2 are scheduled for Friday, February 19; grades 3 to 5 will be paid out on Tuesday 23 February; Numbers 6 and 7 will be issued on Wednesday, February 24, while numbers 8 and 9 will be paid out on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
“In 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 bank transfer via the family card. New applicants will receive a card with a new design, ”explains the ADSEF administrator, clarifying that both cards are valid.
Likewise, it was announced that the second phase, which includes students from the public school system, who are not beneficiaries of the PAN program, will begin on Monday, February 22, 2021 with the opening of the portal. Families can access the link pr.gov/pebt/ to request benefits. Meanwhile, on Friday, February 26, 2021, the third phase will begin, targeting students from eligible private or non-profit institutions, participating in the Department of Education’s School Lunch Program.
P-EBT assistance can be used to purchase raw food from the more than 3,000 certified Nutrition Assistance Program (PAN) stores on the island and in Family Markets. Each monthly payout can be used for up to six months, so families do not have to make use of the total assistance in one month. For more information on the schedule, FAQs and dates of P-EBT payouts, visit pr.gov/pebt/.