![]() ![]() Research has shown that food insecurity is higher during the summer months, when many children do not receive their regular free meals at school. ![]() But historically, families in need have not fully taken advantage of the program. New York City schools will provide free meals this summer to anyone ages 18 and under at select campuses starting on June 28. More than a third of respondents had to skip a meal. ![]() The same survey found that 43% worried a member of their household would not have enough food to eat. If kids access two meals a day, that’s 40 meals a month for each child in the household,” Accles said.Ī recent survey of more than 600 families conducted by Change Research and No Kid Hungry found that 58% of adults with children in New York City schools have struggled to eat healthy and nutritious food over the past 12 months. “School meals are one of the biggest, most far-reaching anti-hunger programs. FOOD STAMPS NYC FOR FREEAnd there are many more that are right above the federal eligibility for free or reduced price meals, given the cost of living in New York City.”Īccording to the city’s education department, 73% of public school students are economically disadvantaged. “Most New York City public school students are in families who are struggling to make ends meet. “It’s been hugely important to help families stay afloat during this crisis,” said Liz Accles of Community Food Advocates, a New York-based nonprofit focused on food access. Some eligible students have yet to receive benefits for logistical reasons, such having an incorrect address on file or incomplete information from a school, according to a spokesperson from the state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), which oversees the disbursements. The benefits can be used to purchase eligible food items in stores that accept them and are available for at least 274 days from the date they were issued. (Families should keep their cards after the money is used because new iterations of the program might still be approved.) For those who typically receive food benefits, the money will be added to their regular cards for others, the funds will be automatically loaded on P-EBT cards they received in the mail in 2020 or 2021. The food benefits will automatically be distributed to all households with eligible school-age children in the same manner they received their P-EBT benefits for the past two school years. Families are also eligible regardless of immigration status. ![]() The benefit comes from the Coronavirus Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer or P-EBT, a federally created program covering meal expenses for students who typically received free meals when in school but were learning remotely due to the pandemic. This is the third round of food benefits for public school families across the state since the pandemic began in March 2020, with the state sending more than $3.4 billion to families since then, officials said.īecause New York City is a universal free lunch district, all public school students are eligible to receive P-EBT regardless of their household income. The state began the rollout this month, with the retroactive benefit being distributed to students enrolled as of June 2021. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.īy Marcela Rodrigues-Sherley, Chalkbeat New YorkĪll New York City public school families regardless of income will receive $375 per child in food benefits to help cover the costs of meals from last summer during the pandemic -whether they attended summer school or not. This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. A school prepares food to go when campuses were closed earlier during the coronavirus pandemic.Laura Faith Kebede / Chalkbeat. ![]()
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