Food Stipend for students

Posted August 6, 2020

In an effort to support Colorado’s families during the COVID-19 epidemic, the Colorado Department of Human Services and Department of Education have teamed up to secure USDA approval to issue Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) benefits to school-age children who would have received free or reduced-price meals during the time that schools have been closed  for the 2019-2020 school year. It is also for children who would have been eligible for free or reduced-price meals in schools for March, April, or May due to loss of income in those months. Each household with an eligible child can receive an amount of $5.70 per child per school day on a Colorado EBT card that will provide extra food benefits to create healthy, wholesome meal options for kids. 

For Colorado families that currently receive SNAP benefits and whose children attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program, no action will be needed from the family and benefits will be automatically issued starting Wednesday, July 22. Families that currently do not participate in the SNAP program, and whose children attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program, will receive instructions and key information through the family’s school or school district on how to receive those benefits in July.

P-EBT benefits will be issued to households as a one-time payment reflecting the days that children would have been in school but were not in March, April and May due to COVID-19.

Please follow this link for more information on this program.