To find updated information for P-EBT for School Year 2020-21 please click here.

Eligibility for PEBT was determined by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). Student demographic information received during their last data collection was provided to MDHS by MDE in June 2020. The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) is working with public and private schools to issue Pandemic EBT (PEBT) benefits based on all of the following:

  • The names of children who were attending public or private school,
  • Receiving free or reduced-price meals,
  • Whose schools were participating in the National School Lunch Program, and
  • Whose school was closed for more than 5 consecutive days.

If you are not a SNAP recipient but were receiving free or reduced-price meals and moved during the school year, you must submit your name, photo ID, old address, new address, and the names of your eligible children to PEBT@mdhs.ms.gov to update your address information.

If your school was not participating in the National School Lunch Program or your child was not receiving free or reduced-price meals, you are not eligible for PEBT. (Example: Head Start and Day Care participants are not eligible for PEBT)

If your records with MDE changed during the school year, (example: guardianship of children or other), MDHS cannot alter the information received from MDE and will issue benefits based on the information provided.

You do not have to be a SNAP recipient to receive PEBT, SNAP eligibility does not have anything to do with PEBT.

PEBT does not require an application process, if you meet the eligibility criteria listed above you will receive PEBT benefits automatically.

If you currently receive SNAP benefits and have PEBT eligible children in your household, PEBT benefits will be issued to the card you currently use. If you do not receive SNAP and have PEBT eligible children in your household, a new card will be mailed to you in about 3 weeks.

If your child or children attend a private school and received free or reduced-price meals, please contact your private school to see if they are working with MDHS to process PEBT benefits.

All benefits for children identified by MDE as SNAP recipients have been issued. MDHS is working to identify more children who are SNAP recipients and will issue benefits as they are identified.