***For Immediate Release***
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Contact: Magdalena Cazarez
Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed
O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119
C: (402) 504-0074
mcazarez@neappleseed.org
Pandemic EBT can help feed Nebraska families during COVID-19
Ensuring that over 170,600 children in Nebraska have the meals they need to stay healthy
Lincoln, NE — On Monday, May 4, Nebraska advocacy, education, and food security organizations sent a letter to Governor Ricketts urging him to implement Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT), a temporary federal option under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that allows states to provide resources to families whose kids are on the free and reduced-price lunch program while schools are closed. While many other states have taken up this option, Nebraska has not. Taking up P-EBT would result in Nebraska families receiving approximately $114 per month per child to help them purchase food during the pandemic. P-EBT would provide an estimated additional $53 million in food assistance directly to Nebraska’s children and families.
“We appreciate the steps Governor Ricketts took at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic to ensure Nebraska families had access to the food they need,” said Economic Justice Program Director, Ken Smith. “However, there is more that Nebraska can do to maximize the effectiveness of SNAP and help ensure Nebraska families can afford to put food on the table throughout this public health crisis. The state should move to take up P-EBT immediately.”
“Every child deserves access to food, but the COVID-19 pandemic has left more Nebraska children wondering where their next meal will come from,” said Policy Coordinator of Voices for Children, Julia Isaacs Tse. “With over 170,600 Nebraska kids relying on our state’s leaders to act quickly to access $53 million in federal pandemic food assistance, there is no time to waste.”
Read the full letter to Governor Ricketts here.
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I need help with food stamps
Thank you for advocating for my family and for families like mine in similar circumstances. Our family of nine does not qualify for SNAP eBT benefits by a small monetary difference. Yet, all six of my school-aged children receive FREE breakfast and lunch at their respective schools.
So, for seven weeks now, we have had a void of resources. Our children are eating three meals a day at home, but the longevity of this void scares me. We have a unique family situation as our oldest has severe autism, so I stay home with her to meet her needs. My husband is a highly educated man who works for a non-profit, so our income is low for our family size. Pandemic EBT would be an incredible blessing for our family at this time, and I hope Nebraska institutes this program swiftly. Feel free to contact me for more information. Thank you.
I have 4 children but I only receive $400 a month.
I would like a ebt help with food program help please I’m a senior citizen on social security i did hear about this program from a friend but did not no what to do.
Thank you for this.
Creo que Nebraska también debe de recibir los beneficios para estos niños que califican para alimentos gratis y medio precio en la escuela,, todos deben ser por igual , y no sabemos como la están pasado en estos días tan críticoS ya que muchas familias han sido afectadas económicamente,,, esperemos que el gobernador tome acción a esta situación tan crítica y desesperante para las familias de Nebraska.
I have 5 kids out of school for the COVID 19
hi I have 5 kids at school but no now because the COVID 19 2 kids at elementary Clinton school 2 at culler middle school 1 at high Lincoln school
Thanks to advocacy, education, and food security organizations sent a letter to Governor Ricketts . We agree and appreciate this help.
Thanks for advocacy, education, and food security organizations sent a letter to Governor Ricketts.
We appreciate this help.
Totas las familas de nebraska nesesitamos mas comida los ninos estan en casa y comen 3 veses al dia nesesitamos p.ebt.como otros estados ya dieron por que nebraska no a dado tenemos nesecidad.
Donde tiene que aplicar para esos beneficios
Hola Maria,
Vi que publicó sobre la elegibilidad de sus hijos para P-EBT en nuestro blog y quería compartir más información.
Parece que está interesado en inscribirse en el programa Pandemic-EBT, donde el costo de las comidas gratuitas se coloca en una tarjeta EBT o SNAP para los días en que las escuelas están cerradas. En este momento, Nebraska, como estado, no ha solicitado para el programa. Es decisión del estado de participar en esta programa. En este momento, somos uno de los 4 o 5 estados que no lo ha hecho. Estamos escuchando que hay un interese para implementar el programa P-EBT por el gobernador, pero no es tan rápido como uno le gustaría. Estamos alentando a la gente a contactar la oficina del Gobernador directamente al (402) 471-2244.
Los mantendré informados cuando Nebraska avance y supongo que el distrito escolar de sus hijos también los mantendrá información. Avíseme si tiene preguntas y gracias por comunicarse.