Austin ISD is encouraging eligible families to apply for one-time state-funded benefits to buy food. The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is for children enrolled in school who may have temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price meals during the 2020-21 school year.   

Who qualifies: Those meeting one of the following criteria are encouraged to apply for P-EBT: 

• Families with children who may be eligible to receive free or reduced-price school meals.
• Families with children who attend a school that participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program (see below for a list of campuses).
• Families who received state-funded benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the first time during the 2020-21 school year in May or June 2021.  

Families who received state-funded SNAP benefits prior to May 2021 do not need to complete an application. These families will have P-EBT benefits automatically placed on their Lone Star Card by May 28. A notice will be mailed to families receiving SNAP benefits that shows which children will receive P-EBT benefits.  

How to apply: Families are asked to complete the online application at www.yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT. The P-EBT application is open June 2 through Aug. 13. 

Good to know: For families applying for P-EBT benefits, it may take two to five weeks after completing the application to receive a benefit in the mail. Benefit cards will be sent to the address entered on the application. Families will receive a notice from Texas Health and Human Services in the mail letting them know if their children are approved or denied. 

P-EBT benefits can be used to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Lone Star Card. P-EBT is administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Agriculture and Texas Education Agency.  

Questions? For more information about eligibility, applying and getting P-EBT benefits, families can visit www.hhs.texas.gov/pebt, or call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m..

Austin ISD schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program:

Pre-K and Early Childhood Centers: Uphaus ECC

Elementary Schools: Allison, Andrews, Barrington, Blackshear, Blanton, Blazier, Boone, Brown, Campbell, Casey, Cook, Cunningham, Dawson, Galindo, Govalle, Graham, Guerrero-Thompson, Harris, Hart, Houston, Jordan, Joslin, Kocurek, Langford, Linder, McBee, Menchaca, Metz, Norman-Sims, Oak Springs, Odom, Ortega, Overton, Padron, Palm, Pecan Springs, Perez, Pickle, Pillow, Pleasant Hill, Reilly, Rodriguez, Sanchez, St. Elmo, Sunset Valley, Travis Heights, Walnut Creek, Widen, Williams, Winn, Wooldridge, Wooten, Zavala

Middle Schools: Bedichek, Burnet, Covington, Dobie, Garcia YMLA, Lively, Martin, Mendez, Paredes, Sadler Means YWLA, Webb

High Schools: Akins ECHS, Crockett ECHS, Eastside Memorial ECHS, Garza Independence, GPA at Navarro, GPA at Travis, International, LBJ ECHS, Navarro ECHS, Northeast ECHS, Travis ECHS

Other Campuses: Alternative Learning Center, Rosedale School

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