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 Administration for Socioeconomic Development (ADSEF) of the Family, Alberto Fradera Vázquez announced today the beginning of this week. the name of Pandemic EBT (P-EBT). At the same time, they reported that Puerto Rico received an additional resource allocation that increases 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 great challenges due to the pandemic and this help is a great relief in ensuring that our children have access to adequate food. I thank the Department of the Family for their diligence in distributing this federal aid, “the governor said.
Through the Food and Nutrition Service, President Biden’s administration has announced a 15% increase in student salaries. This initial allocation of $ 390.7 million has an increase of $ 59.3 million for the 2020-2021 school year, aimed at supporting the support of thousands of students who participate in the School Lunch and School Lunch program of the Department of Education and are educated. virtual or on time.reduced.
“In the midst of a health emergency, nutrition is essential for families facing 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 Institute for Youth Development, who supported these efforts and, together with the administration, provided the data needed to achieve the inclusion of Puerto Rico in this legislation. provides food support to thousands of students on the island, “said the family secretary.
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Approximately 330,000 students in Puerto Rico are eligible for 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. Pupils of families participating in the PAN program total 219, 222, who will start receiving from this week, the first disbursements of P-EBT that will be automatically distributed through the family card, so they do not have to perform any management with the agency.
“Payments in the first phase start this Friday, February 19, 2021 and continue next week, between Tuesday, February 23 and Thursday, February 25. We coordinated with the certified stores of PAN, making sure that they have the necessary consumables and that the health and safety protocols are observed “, assured the ADSEF administrator, Fradera Vázquez.
Students participating in the NAP will receive payments according to the latest digit of the social security number of the account manager on the following dates: the digits from 0 to 2 are scheduled for Friday, February 19; figures from 3 to 5 will be paid on Tuesday, February 23; figures 6 and 7 are issued on Wednesday, February 24, while figures 8 and 9 are paid 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, the benefits will be received monthly by electronic transfer via family 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 PAN program, begins on Monday, February 22, 2021, with the opening of the portal. Families can access the pr.gov/pebt/ link to claim benefits. Meanwhile, the third phase, which is addressed to students from eligible private or non-profit institutions, who participate in the School Lunch program of the Department of Education, begins on Friday, February 26, 2021.
P-EBT assistance can be used to purchase unprepared food in the more than 3,000 Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) certified stores throughout the island and in family markets. Each monthly payment can be used for up to six months, so families do not have to use full assistance in a single month. For more information about the program, frequently asked questions and P-EBT payment data, go to pr.gov/pebt/.