Arizona P-EBT Benefits

P-EBT Overview

The Arizona P-EBT Benefits program is a partnership between the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). DES distributes the P-EBT funds based on the names of the eligible children and school learning models provided by ADE.

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) provides assistance to households with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals while schools are either closed or offering a full-time or part-time distance learning model due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arizona P-EBT Benefits program is a partnership between DES, the Arizona Department of Education, and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

P-EBT is established in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127) as amended by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (P.L. 116-159).

How Does Pandemic EBT Work?

Eligible families receive a pre-loaded Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that can be used to purchase groceries. Households currently receiving Nutrition Assistance and/or Cash Assistance benefits will have this additional benefit added to their existing EBT cards. Households that received P-EBT benefits in 2020 or 2021 will have additional benefits added to their previously issued P-EBT card.

What’s Next?

IMPORTANT: The 2020/2021 school year Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program and 2021 Summer P-EBT programs have ended. PEBT in Arizona has ended.  USDA programs like the National School Lunch Program and Summer Food Service Program are available. The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) will work closely with local education agencies and other state partners to ensure that all eligible children have access to healthy and nutritious meal options through these programs.