By: Katie Briante
New Jersey began a new program, Pandemic-EBT, to assist families with purchasing food for their children who would normally get free or reduced-price meals at school prior to its closure due to the pandemic.
Starting in June, families of students who were receiving free or reduced-price meals received a $416.10 benefit, per child, to help cover food costs.
This program did not require an application. The Department of Human Services worked with schools to identify those students who were receiving free or reduced-price meals as of March 18 and enrolled them in the program
Families who were already receiving SNAP benefits simply had the benefit added to their Families First EBT card and those who were not, received an EBT card in the mail with the benefit amount.
The EBT cards, which are used like bank cards, allow families to purchase food at a number of major grocery stores like Shop-Rite, Walmart, The Fresh Grocer and Amazon.
For more information on Pandemic-EBT please visit the New Jersey Department of Human Services website, [**HERE**](https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/njsnap/pebt.shtml?fbclid=IwAR0pBQQ46qa3T1zAbIaolESvO-7ogfwvBaHdk8Si6A6VhvdTSZi8lQUBWUc).