Pandemic EBT ( P-EBT ) Benefits

To be eligible for Summer 2022 School P-EBT, your child and the school in which they are enrolled must meet certain eligibility criteria:

• Your child must have been enrolled in an eligible Illinois school at the end of the school year (May and/or June 2022);
• Your child must attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program; and
• Your child must have been eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals through their eligible school in May and/or June 2022. If you are wondering if your child is eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, read the ISBE income eligibility guidelines. This eligibility is based on either:
  • Community Eligibility Provisions (CEP) enrollment; or
  • Income eligibility

Summer P-EBT benefits for students enrolled in public school will be issued between October 11 and 21, 2022.

If your child has already received School P-EBT benefits, the Summer 2022 P-EBT benefit will be added to your existing P-EBT card/account. While Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) did issue benefits to the same account students had from last year, many students will have inactive cards due to the time lapse from the last issuance. You do not have to order a new card. IDHS will review, and if your card is not active, IDHS will send you a new card automatically.

If your child has not received School P-EBT Benefits in the past, a new P-EBT account will be established and a P-EBT card will be mailed to the address provided by the school in your child’s name.

If you have lost your card, no longer have your card, need to report a lost or stolen card, or to request a replacement card, visit Manage My Illinois Link Card or contact the LINK hotline at 1-800-678-5465.

Please check back later for updates and eligibility information for future benefits releases.

At this time, it is not certain if P-EBT benefits will be issued again in the future. Advocates continue to press elected officials for the permanent approval of P-EBT

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has created FAQs to help answer questions about Summer P-EBT.

Additional questions about P-EBT can be communicated to the toll-free P-EBT Helpline number at 1-833-621-0737 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays. You can also submit an inquiry via the IDHS P-EBT Website.

No. P-EBT will not count in a public charge test. All students are eligible regardless of immigration status. Read Protecting Immigrant Families for information about what public benefits impact the public charge test.

Children under the age of 6 and enrolled in SNAP benefits may be eligible for Child Care P-EBT benefits. Learn more about Summer Child Care P-EBT.

Yes, your participation in government programs does not affect your ability to get food from a food pantry.

If you are in Cook County, find a food pantry near you.