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$420 Food Benefit Cards Coming To All NYC Public School Students
By
David Cruz
Published May 21, 2020
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By
David Cruz
Published May 21, 2020
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Starting next month, families of students enrolled in New York City public schools will receive a food benefit card pre-loaded with $420 to help cover meal costs while schools remain closed because of the pandemic.
The move comes after the state was approved to distribute the funds as part of the federal government’s Coronavirus Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a program that falls under the $3 trillion stimulus package passed by Congress last month. The total amount for each card is equal to $5.70 a day—a rate that covers the remaining 74 days of public school, retroactive to March 16th, when schools closed, leaving children without a free meal. The cards will be sent in the mail.
“Relief on food means there’s more money to meet essentials including rent and other kinds of things,” said Liz Accles, executive director of Community Food Advocates.
No application or documentation is needed given the city Department of Education’s universal free lunch program that provides meals to all 1.1 million public school students. Students enrolled in parochial, private, or charter schools that participate in a universal free meal program will also receive a benefits card. Those already enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, meantime, will have the funds automatically loaded onto their Electronic Benefits Transfer card.
A school staff member at PS 130 in Chinatown on March 16th, 2020 offering grab-and-go meals.
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The funds come at a time when the city looks to ensure New Yorkers do not go hungry during the pandemic that’s led to massive job losses, placing an even greater demand on the city’s food pantries.
The program will also complement the city’s already established grab-and-go meal program that has been operating at 435 sites—including Regional Enrichment Centers—since schools closed, providing free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to all families. Accles noted that while those are beneficial to families, they also pose some obstacles since the meal program is unavailable during the weekend.
“It does not meet every child’s needs throughout the city. It means that a family has to have the ability to come out and pick up the food every day. So people that are relying on the grab-and-go meals they’re providing a very essential service in the city, it’s really an incredible program, but it’s not designed to meet every single need of a family. It can’t,” said Accles. “It’s still going to be tight for people.”
The program will be phased in according to incomes, with those living under the federal poverty level expected to get the first wave of the money in early June. Families with higher income levels are scheduled to receive it late June.
While it’s currently a one-time initiative, there’s now talk at the federal level to offer another round of funds for the summer.
Tagged
COVID-19
coronavirus
public schools
food insecurity
DOE
David Cruz
David is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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