Family benefits, school meals extended

By TOM LAVENTURE

[email protected]

Ironwood — Social service extensions and free school meals will continue through summer in support of families during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to announcements from Michigan and Wisconsin.

State social service departments in coordination with school districts are working to continue benefits for families with children who are missing free or reduced price school meals because of the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2020-2021 school year, the announcements said.

“It looks like the free meals program was extended to all families through Sept. 1, which would allow us to again offer free meals all summer long,” said Kevin Genisot, administrator of the Hurley School District. “The specific details are being finalized, but anytime you can offer free meals it greatly helps the families and children.”

Sheri Kopka, administrator of the Mercer Public School District, said the programs are of benefit to many families.

“Yes, we are happy to have this opportunity to continue to provide our student’s meals in the summer,” Kopka said.

In a Monday announcement, Michigan State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice this is a challenging year for students and their families on many levels. The program offers support.

“In addition to the over 200 million meals provided to students in local schools and mobile and stationary feeding operations across the state, the P-EBT benefits offer an extra and important measure of food security for our families in need during the pandemic,” Rice said.

In the December stimulus package, Congress authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to renew the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer program, or P-EBT, for the 2020-2021 school year. Michigan and Wisconsin will send notifications to families already in the program in late March or early April regarding retroactive benefits for the school year.

“COVID-19 has disrupted Wisconsinites’ lives, budgets, and educational plans for a full year now,” said Wisconsin DHS Interim Secretary Karen Timberlake, in an announcement. “The Pandemic EBT program will provide much-needed economic and nutritional support to families that need it the most.”

Michigan households that already receive food assistance will receive the Pandemic-EBT payments on their Bridge Cards. Families that do not already receive food assistance will receive Pandemic-EBT cards in the mail that they can use to purchase food.

Families will receive an estimated $127.53 monthly for each eligible child who has no in-person classes and attends a school that is fully virtual and about $77.06 for each eligible child who attends a school with a hybrid schedule of in-person and remote learning, according to the Michigan press release. Monthly benefits will vary based on the number of school days in each month.

“Providing families with easy access to the benefits and services they need is a top priority of MDHHS that has become even more vital as all of us deal with the impact of the pandemic,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “Pandemic-EBT is incredibly important to children and families whose normal school routines – which for many include access to school meals – have been disrupted by COVID-19.”

To qualify in Wisconsin a family must have a child already enrolled and school certified to receive free or reduced price meals at a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program. The family must also currently receive benefits from another state program like BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare.

Eligible families will receive a P-EBT card in the mail to use their benefits. This ATM-like card can be used in stores to purchase the same items allowed under FoodShare. Families with an active QUEST card will receive the benefits through that account.

Families that do not receive benefits by early April, but believe they should have, may complete the application online through a link posted on the P-EBT program webpage. Families that have never received support before will first need to contact their school to apply for free or reduced price meals. Families can also apply for FoodShare online.

For more information about the Michigan program, email [email protected]. For more information about the Wisconsin program, email [email protected].