If you are looking for information or need help with your Florida P-EBT benefits, we can help. In this article, we will provide you with the most comprehensive guide on Florida P-EBT benefits.
We will cover:
- What is Florida P-EBT?
- Florida Pandemic EBT Eligibility
- How to get Florida P-EBT benefits
- How much you will get in P-EBT benefits
- Florida P-EBT Benefits Payment Schedule
- How to use Pandemic EBT
- Where you can use FL P-EBT
- Check your Florida P-EBT balance
- Florida P-EBT Discounts
- Florida P-EBT FAQs
Pandemic EBT Program
The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program was authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The program provides financial assistance to families with children that typically receive free or reduced-price school meals.
The goal of the program is to reduce the financial strain on low-income households caused by extended school closures during COVID-19.
Pandemic EBT is in line with USDA’s commitment to keeping Americans safe, secure, and healthy. In addition, the program helps feed children when schools are closed for a national emergency.
To learn more about the Pandemic EBT in Florida, continue reading below.
Florida P-EBT Benefits
On May 27th, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Florida’s approval for the federal Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program. This means that Florida students who normally receive free or reduced-price meals at school will receive financial assistance through P-EBT.
The program will provide relief to households with students during extended school closures. All public and a majority of private Florida schools have been closed since March 16th due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
To find out if your child/children qualifies for P-EBT benefits in Florida and how to get them, continue reading below.
What is Florida P-EBT?
Florida Pandemic EBT is a supplemental food purchasing benefit to offset the cost of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school.
The Food and Nutrition Service is allowing Florida to provide benefits (similar to SNAP or “food stamps”) to children who normally receive free or reduced-price school meals.
Florida P-EBT Qualifications
Florida P-EBT benefits are provided to all public and private school students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Benefits are also available to those students that attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school.
Pandemic EBT benefits are intended to help Florida households buy food for their children during school closures.
Households that meet the following criteria qualify for Pandemic EBT in Florida:
- Families with one or more children in their household
- Attend a public, private, or school that provides free meals to all students
- Children who normally receive free and reduced price meals at school
- School has been closed due to the pandemic for at least five consecutive days
To find out how if your student qualifies for Florida P-EBT benefits, continue reading below.
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Florida P-EBT Eligible Students
Florida households with students that attend public or private schools and are enrolled in the National School Lunch Program are eligible for the P-EBT program.
In addition, students that are meet any of the following are also eligible for P-EBT benefits in Florida:
- Receiving SNAP food assistance, TANF cash assistance, or Medicaid benefits
- Attends a Community Eligibility Provision school or Provision 2 school
- Parent applied and was approved to receive free or reduced-price meals with the school district
Students that are attending virtual schools or home-schooling are not eligible for P-EBT benefits in Florida.
If your child is still receiving “grab and go” meals from your school, you are still eligible for P-EBT enrollment.
If your child was not enrolled in the free or reduced-price meal program before schools closed, but think you would qualify, please apply for the program with your school district.
To find out how to get Florida P-EBT benefits, continue reading below.
How do I get Florida P-EBT?
To receive Florida P-EBT benefits, you do not need to do anything. Florida P-EBT benefit will be automatically issued to eligible households during the month of June.
For households receiving SNAP EBT benefits, P-EBT benefits will be added to your current Florida EBT Card.
For households receiving TANF or Medicaid benefits, P-EBT benefits will be mailed to the address on your cash assistance or medical benefits file. No further action is required to receive your P-EBT benefits.
For all other P-EBT households, a P-EBT card will be mailed to the address on file with your child’s school district. No further action is required on your part to receive your P-EBT benefits.
To find out how much you will receive in P-EBT benefits, continue reading below.
How much will I receive in Florida P-EBT benefits?
Florida P-EBT benefits are provided for each eligible child in your household for March 16, 2020 through May 29, 2020 – a total of 55 days. The amount is equal to the daily reimbursement cost for free breakfast and lunch at $5.70 per day.
If your child was receiving free or reduced-price school meals prior to schools closing on March 16, 2020, you will receive $313.50 in Florida P-EBT benefits per child. Florida P-EBT benefits will be submitted as a one-time payment.
If your child was eligible for the free or reduced-price school meals program after March 16, 2020, you will receive a pro-rated P-EBT payment based on your month of eligibility.
For example, if you did not become eligible until April 1st, you will receive a P-EBT benefits payment for a total of 43 days.
Here is a breakdown of total P-EBT benefits by month:
| Total Florida P-EBT Benefits by Month (per student) | |
| Month | Amount |
| March | $68.40 |
| April | $125.40 |
| May | $119.70 |
| Florida P-EBT Total: | $313.50 |
Daily rate per student: $5.70
To find out when you will receive your P-EBT benefits payment, keep reading below.
When will I receive my Florida P-EBT benefits?
All Florida P-EBT benefits will be submitted to eligible households by June 30, 2020. If you have an active Florida EBT Card, your P-EBT benefits will be submitted to your account.
If you do not have an EBT Card, a P-EBT Card will be mailed to you. Please allow until June 30th to receive your benefits. If you have not received your benefits by then, please call 1-833-311-0321.
When will my Florida P-EBT Card arrive?
Your Florida P-EBT Card will arrive in the mail via USPS by June 30, 2020. If you are currently receiving benefits in Florida and have an EBT Card, you will not be sent a P-EBT Card in the mail. Your P-EBT benefits payment will be submitted directly to your EBT Card.
Please allow up to June 30th to receive your P-EBT Card in the mail. If you have not received your card in the mail by the end of June, please call 1-833-311-0321.
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Florida P-EBT Payment Schedule
Your Florida P-EBT benefits are sent to you as a one-time payment for the 55 days schools were closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Your one-time P-EBT benefits payment will be loaded onto your Florida P-EBT card when you receive it in mail or submitted to your current EBT Card account.
How to use Florida P-EBT Benefits
To use your Florida P-EBT benefits, visit an eligible SNAP EBT store location. When shopping with your benefits, checkout as usual and use your EBT Card like a debit card.
When you are ready to pay for food at the store/market:
- Select “EBT”
- Swipe the card
- Enter your 4-digit PIN number
After that, your payment is processed and benefits removed from your card. To find out where you can use your Florida P-EBT benefits, continue reading below.
Where to use Florida P-EBT
P-EBT benefits can be used at any store that accepts SNAP EBT benefits. Pandemic EBT benefits can be used at grocery stores, warehouse stores, mini-marts, convenience stores, markets, gas stations, specialty food stores, bakeries, farmer’s markets and more.
Some popular Florida P-EBT locations include:
- Alberstons
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Bravo Supermarket
- Costco
- Fast Track Foods
- Flash Foods
- Food Lion
- Foodtown
- Neighborhood Market
- Piggly Wiggly
- Publix
- Save-A-Lot
- Sedanos Supermarket
- Stop & Shop
- Sweetbay Supermarket
- Walmart
For a complete list of approved P-EBT retailers and to find a location near you, use the interactive store locator.
Check Florida P-EBT Balance
To check the balance of your Florida P-EBT benefits, follow the EBT Card balance instructions.
There are three ways to check your Florida EBT balance – online, in-person, or by phone. To find out how to check your Florida P-EBT balance, follow the instructions below.
Florida P-EBT Balance Check Online
To check your P-EBT benefits balance on the Florida EBT Card online, visit the Florida EBT Edge website. Once you are on the website, click the Cardholder Login section on the left-side of the page.
After that, you will be taken to a new page where you can enter your User ID and Password, then click the “Login” button. You must log in to your account to check your Florida EBT balance.
If you do not have an EBT Edge account, you must first create one. For help on how to create your Florida EBT Online Account, click here.
Florida P-EBT Balance Check by Phone
The second option to check your P-EBT balance is by calling the Florida EBT Card Customer Service toll-free phone number at 1-888-356-3281. Representatives are available to help you retrieve your current card balance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Before you call, be sure to have your Card Number, 4-digit PIN, and Social Security Number (SSN) ready. You must provide this information to receive your P-EBT balance.
Florida P-EBT Balance Check in Store
The last option to check your FL P-EBT balance is in-person at the store. You can find your current Florida EBT Card balance located at the bottom of your most-recent purchase receipt. Be sure to save all of your recent Florida EBT Card receipts!
Florida P-EBT Discounts
Pandemic EBT recipients in Florida may be eligible for discounts with their Florida EBT Card. You can save over 50% OFF an Amazon Prime membership, get discounts on phone and internet service, free museum admission, and much more!
Find out what discounts you qualify for in Florida here.
Florida P-EBT FAQs
Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Florida P-EBT benefits program.
Where is my P-EBT Card?
If you do not receive your Florida P-EBT Card, please contact the Florida P-EBT Customer Service help phone number at 1-888-356-3281. After you call, press “option 2” to report you you have not received your card.
What should I do when I get my P-EBT card in the mail?
When you receive your P-EBT card in the mail, follow the instructions that came with your card to activate and create your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Once activated, your card can be used to buy food in most grocery stores and farmer’s markets in Florida.
How are P-EBT benefits calculated?
To find out how much P-EBT you will get for each child, you multiply the daily reimbursement cost for free breakfast and lunch of $5.70 by the number of school days canceled in the month.
For example,
If your child’s school was canceled for a total of 55 days, you multiply 55 by $5.70. This means you will get a total of $313.50 in P-EBT benefits.
You will complete this calculation for EACH eligible child to get your total monthly P-EBT benefits for your household.
Do Florida P-EBT benefits expire?
Your Florida P-EBT benefits will be available on your P-EBT debit card for a total of 365 days. After the 365-day period, the benefits will be removed.
What if I lost my Florida P-EBT Card?
If your Florida P-EBT Card has been lost, stolen, or damaged, you can request to have a replacement card sent to you.
How do I get a replacement Florida P-EBT Card?
To request a replacement Florida P-EBT Card, please call customer service at 1-888-356-
3281. After calling, press “Option 2” to report your P-EBT card as lost, stolen, or damaged.
If you have already downloaded the EBT App and scanned the QR Code on your phone, you can request a replacement card through the app.
Can I use Florida P-EBT benefits online?
Yes, you can use your Florida P-EBT benefits to shop for food online at Walmart and Amazon. To find out how to use your Florida EBT Card online, check out our article here.
What can you buy with P-EBT?
P-EBT recipients can use their benefits to purchase the following items:
- Breads and cereals
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat and poultry
- Fish and seafood
- Deli meats and steak
- Dairy products – milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.
- Snacks, crackers and chips
- Bakery items and birthday cakes
- Juice and soda
- Ice cream and frozen treats
- Cookies and desserts
For a complete list of P-EBT eligible items, click here.
Is P-EBT retroactive?
Yes, P-EBT benefits are issued retroactive to the date when schools initially closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For Florida, P-EBT benefits will date back to March 16th.
All eligible students will receive the full benefit amount unless they became eligible after March. Households that have lost employment due to COVID-19 are encouraged to apply for free lunch status to become eligible for P-EBT.
Is P-EBT only for food?
Yes, P-EBT benefits can only be used to purchase food items for at-home consumption. You cannot use your P-EBT benefits to purchase hot, prepared food items or any of the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Tobacco products
- Pet food
- Soap and cleaning products
- Medicine and prescription drugs
- Paper products
- Household supplies
- Grooming items
- Cosmetics and beauty products
Does it matter if my household already receives SNAP?
No, it does not affect P-EBT benefits if you are already receiving SNAP benefits or any other government assistance benefits. P-EBT benefits are in addition to SNAP benefits.
FL P-EBT Benefits Summary
We hope this article about the Florida Pandemic EBT Program was helpful to you! If you have any additional questions about Florida P-EBT benefits, you are having trouble applying for the program, please let us know in the comments section below.
We are here to help! Stay safe and healthy.
For more information on Pandemic EBT, check out our guide here.