NYC Public School Families: Check Mail For $420 Food Benefit

NEW YORK CITY — Well-to-do and down-on-their-luck New York City families alike should expect a $420 surprise in their mailbox, if they haven't received it already.

The Coronavirus Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, or P-EBT, will arrive in August for many families, according to the state. The federal program gives up to $420 in food assistance for families who would have received free school lunches if the coronavirus hadn't closed schools.

Low-income families across the state on Medicaid or food stamps likely already received the benefit, but the story is different for New York City.

The city's universal free school lunch program makes all public New York City students qualify for the program, regardless of their income. Not-so-needy families will be in the third wave of benefits, according to the P-EBT Redistribution Network.

"You might not need it, but don’t throw your card away," the food advocate site states.

The funds can't be transferred and donated food is not "cost-effective," so the food advocate site encourages people who don't need the funds to buy local groceries for themselves.

That will help stimulate the economy, according to the site.

"But, after you have used your P-EBT, you can redistribute the funds by donating the equivalent - $420 - to support food distribution efforts throughout NYC," the site states.

More information about P-EBT can be found here.