Designated Secretary of the Department of the Family, Dr. Carmen Ana González Magaz and administrator of the family’s Administration of Socioeconomic Development (ADSEF), Alberto Fradera Vázquez announced today that after obtaining approval of the plan from the student food aid program, known as Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), will be allocated $ 390.7 million to Puerto Rico for the 2020-2021 school year for the livelihood of thousands of students while they receive virtual or limited hours of education.
Approximately 326,680 students enrolled in the Puerto Rico Department of Education (DE) School Dining Program from public education system schools, private schools, and non-profit organizations are eligible for the monthly allowance distributed through the Family Card.
Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi said his government will ensure that the island’s people receive the federal assistance they need to face the challenges they face as a result of the pandemic. “COVID-19 not only poses a serious risk to the health of our citizens, but has also had a serious impact on our people’s ability to support their homes, especially families with children.”
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“With these funds they get a break and can provide food to their children who cannot attend school in person. I thank the Department of the Family for their diligence in obtaining the approval of these funds, ”added the president.
The P-EBT was extended to Puerto Rico this school year after the island was excluded in the first allocation approved by the United States Congress. Multiple civil society organizations, nonprofits, professional organizations, congressmen, state and federal agencies and allies in the fight to eradicate hunger strongly advocate this mandate in the US Congress and the White House.
“The government of Puerto Rico remains determined and active in its goal of ensuring the health and wellbeing of every Puerto Rican in the face of the health emergency caused by COVID-19. Our children and young people deserve to have equal access to healthy and wholesome food. This program empowers families to meet this basic need and helps students eat and eat better, ”said the family’s designated secretary.
González Magaz explained that after receiving approval for the plan, the next step is for the federal government to transfer the money to the state accounts to begin payouts. “Once the transfer has cleared, we will be ready to make the first payouts, probably before the end of January.”
Puerto Rico is the fourth jurisdiction to receive approval of the plan from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the first territory to receive approval from the USDA program. ADSEF is the agency that will manage the disbursement of funds at the local level.
“All eligible students will receive $ 119.02 for each month of the 2020-2021 school year beginning in August 2020 and ending in May of the current year. For the period from August 2020 to January 2021, students will receive an overdue payment of $ 714.12. Every following month, the benefits will be received monthly by electronic transfer to your family benefit card, ”said the ADSEF administrator.
Reportedly, the broadcasts will be conducted in three groups previously coordinated with the PAN’s certified stores, the schools and the Ministry of Education. The first phase involves students whose families participate in the PAN program and whose information is in the system. In the second phase, students from public schools, whose families are not PAN participants, will be able to enter their information in a portal that will be enabled for the P-EBT and the third phase is separated for students from private and non-profit schools, active in the school canteen program.
“Each issue will be widely announced once the assignment is received, so that each family will be informed of the day the aid will be deposited. In the case of families participating in the PAN, they do not need to perform management on the portal. New participants will be able to enter their information on the new platform and receive the card with their benefits by mail, ”assured Fradera Vázquez.
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. It was also reported that a hotline will be set up for the P-EBT to meet the needs of new entrants and to seek direct communication with those who do not have Internet access.