DES MOINES, Iowa - Vouchers to buy groceries are now being sent to Iowa families with children who were out of school because of the pandemic.
The program, which is being paid for by a federal grant, is meant to make up for free or reduced-price in meals kids missed when they were at home.
The vouchers can be used to buy food in the same way that food stamps, or SNAP benefits, function.
Families are eligible if they have children in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade who qualify meal programs at school.
The program applies to students who attend the 186 school districts and 51 participating nonpublic schools.
The Iowa Department of Human Services and Department of Education are partnering to deliver the benefits in the state.
“We want to make Iowa families aware of the arrival of the P-EBT cards to prevent families from throwing the envelopes away, not realizing what they contain,” said Janee Harvey, DHS Division Administrator of Adult, Child and Family Services. “New cards for all eligible students will arrive in white envelopes addressed with the child’s name with an Austin, Texas, return address beginning the week of May 10, 2021. The cards inside will be white, with black font, with IOWA P-EBT printed at the top, and will bear the name of the eligible child. Families must follow the included instructions to activate the card.”