PROVIDENCE, RI – As parents are forced to miss paychecks and kids can’t go to school, U.S. Senator Jack Reed wants to ensure children and families can still access nutritious meals.  Today, Senator Reed announced that Rhode Island has been approved for a federal program that will help distribute $14.2 million to feed children and low-income families across the state while school is out.

The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Act (Public Law No: 116-127), provides federal assistance to help states distribute nutrition assistance to children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.

“Hunger weakens kids’ immune systems and we don’t want any child or family going hungry.  Period.  When school is in session, every kid who walks through the door gets a nutritious meal.  Now those doors are closed, we need to deliver assistance to kids and families in need.  I pushed this program in the Families First Coronavirus Act because it is a smart investment in the health and well-being of children and communities.  I am pleased Rhode Island is one of the first states to take advantage and access benefits and I commend Governor Raimondo for prioritizing the needs of families and children,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Rhode Island, along with Massachusetts, Michigan, and North Carolina, are among the first states to have the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approve their applications to operate the Pandemic EBT supplemental food-purchasing benefit. Rhode Island is currently working to implement this program and distribute the funds in the coming weeks.

The federal funds will help offset the cost of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school.  For the 2019-2020 school year, Rhode Island had approximately 72,000 children eligible for free-and reduced-priced lunch.

The state estimates it will issue $5,794,814 to 18,000 households that currently participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and $8,392,315 to 26,848 households not currently enrolled in SNAP for school closures extending from March 16, 2020 through April 30, 2020 a total of 34 days.  Under the program, states may issue additional benefits for canceled school days in May and June if schools remain closed beyond the end of April.

This federal funding comes on top of other federal nutrition assistance the state is receiving from the Families First Act.  Under the law, Rhode Island has issued emergency supplemental SNAP benefits to 45% of Rhode Island households participating in SNAP.  This allows Rhode Island households currently eligible for SNAP to receive the maximum amount for the household size.  In addition to the $1.3 billion in emergency food aid in the Families First Coronavirus Act, Reed also helped include $15.8 billion in additional funding for SNAP in the CARES Act, which includes $8.8 billion for child nutrition programs and $450 million for food banks through the Emergency Food Assistance Program.  The law also includes $16 billion for in relief payments for agriculture producers and $3 billion to purchase fresh vegetables, dairy, and meat for distribution to various food assistance programs.

According to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s 2019 Status Report on Hunger, which was released last fall, low-income families are forced to miss about 6 percent of meals, or 11.3 million meals per year.  Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Rhode Island food pantries were feeding an average of 53,000 people a month, and that number has greatly increased over the last several weeks, according to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, which helps supply food and resources for over 165 member organizations across the state.

Rhode Islanders in need of nutrition assistance can apply for federal SNAP benefits online at the RI Department of Human Services (DHS) website or call: 1-855-MY-RIDHS (1-855-697-4347), or contact a local DHS Office.  To qualify, Rhode Island residents must complete an application and provide proof of identity, income, assets/resources, and expenses.

To be eligible for SNAP benefits, households must also meet other conditions in addition to the income and resource requirements.

Maximum SNAP payments are set at $194 a month for a single-person household, $354 for a two-person household, $509 for a three-person household, and $646 for a family of four.