The approval of COVID-19 pandemic food benefits is followed by the announcement of Gov. Greg Abbott on Nov. 16. An estimated 3.5 million Texans are qualified for $391 each in benefits; this will cover expenses from June 1-Aug. 30.
$391 Benefits Per Person
The food benefits program is approved by the federal government and run by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. This program provides free meals or reduced-cost lunches to families impacted by school closures, and it targets parents whose children could not avail of the free meals program during the pandemic’s peak.
It will work like other EBT and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits; families can use it to buy groceries. To avail of this benefit, students must be the beneficiaries of free or reduced-price meals for the 2021-22 school year or the following summer, a source posted.
A notice will be mailed to students who are unable to claim their SNAP and EBT benefits; families will be given 90 days from the day the mail is sent to claim it.
Financial Relief to Many Families
When the free meals program ends, 51% of families in Texas say that they are not ready for the opening of the school year. So, the approval of this program is a relief for many families facing financial struggles.
In an August report, free lunches are no longer available in public schools after the federal government’s announcement. One parent said it makes her pay an extra $200 per month on school meals, and inflation made it heavier, according to a wfaa.com report.
But now that everything is back, it will definitely help many families and can lighten the burden they carry to sustain their daily needs.
