Qualifying Families May Be Eligible for Summer Assistance

WEAKLEY COUNTY — Children who received free or reduced lunches last year or attended Sharon School may now apply for additional assistance. The application period continues through June 29.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services and the Tennessee Department of Education announced today that Tennessee families are now eligible to receive financial support for their children’s nutritional needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This support is provide through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit (P-EBT) program.

Under the new P-EBT program, families of children who receive free or reduced meals at school or attend a Community Eligibility Provision school, such as the Sharon School, may receive financial assistance to replace school meals during the months of March, April and May due to Covid-19 school closures. The program will provide parents with $5.70 per child for each day that child qualifies for P-EBT. Weakley County families will receive a total of $256.50 per child.

Parents who already receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits currently, do not need to apply. The funds began arriving on their current EBT card beginning June 12.

Parents who do not receive SNAP benefits, but whose children do qualify for free or reduced school meals, will need to apply for P-EBT online (https://tdhs.service-now.com/relief?id=relief_registration) by June 29.

Individuals who need assistance completing their P-EBT application or have general questions about the program can call the TDHS hotline at 1-833-496-0661 and select option 3. Qualifying families will receive P-EBT support in two installments, one in June and the next month in July.

Receiving meals through the Weakley County meal distribution plans on Tuesdays and Fridays does not disqualify a family from the P-EBT program.