P-EBT issues so frustrated

seeker

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 5:25 pm

Is there any agency that can help, or has anyone BTDT and can advise?

My kids are eligible for P-EBT (pandemic food stamps) automatically because they go to a free lunch school.

One child's card came in the mail a couple of days ago. It had instructions how to activate it and set a PIN. I followed the instructions exactly and it said "the information I entered is incorrect" - but it only said that after I entered the new PIN, not after I entered the birthday or zip code. How is my new PIN incorrect? Anyway it said press 9 to continue to a representative and then it says all representatives are busy, waiting on hold is not an option, call back some other time. Of course the same thing happens EVERY time I call. I tried different times of day at intervals since the card came. And trying again isn't that simple, you have to go through all the prompts before they bother to tell you this and hang up on you.

OK now the other child. The other child I didn't get any mail and of course couldn't reach anyone by phone. But there was an email address I was able to reach. They told me that child's P-EBT was credited to my CBIC card. Now, this CBIC card was from like 10 years ago, BH our income improved and I haven't used it in 10 years. I figured it must be somewhere but I can't find it. So I called the number to report it missing and request a new one... the automatic system needs you to put in the card number and PIN and whatever. Again, I have not seen that card in about 10 years, I have no idea what any of that info is. So I have to talk to a representative... see above saga except this one was going on way longer than 2 days.

I'm at my wits end. I hope the funds don't expire before I get to use them because I was actually very affected by covid, lost a LOT of income, and my grocery bills are adding up.

Is there ANY way to reach ANYONE and get ANYTHING done about this?

amother

Beige

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 5:41 pm

There are community agencies that help people apply. They might have more helpful information for you.

In Williamsburg there are the UJO and the CJC, for example.

Have you tried 311?

amother

Cerulean

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 5:51 pm

Call the school. They provide info to p-ebt. If they give wrong info like birthdays or zip it will give you issue creating Pin. I called some number that was given to me. At first they said it was wrong birthday. So I called second day and lady was nice enough to tell me the wrong birthday so I can activate it with that info.

amother

Lilac

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 5:55 pm

amother [ Cerulean ] wrote:

This call the school. For some reason my ds school had all the birthdays messed up. The school was able to give me the correct one

ra_mom

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 5:56 pm

This is a contact link.
https://forms.office.com/Pages.....3Ry4u

amother

Black

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 6:15 pm

I had the same issue. Call the school. In my case, they gave the wrong zip code so I had to enter the “wrong” one and then had no more trouble.

seeker

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 6:25 pm

THANK YOU!!!! OMG that turned out to be the issue, they had the wrong DOB so I put in what they had and now we're on. For the missing card I will try the contact form; why did google not know about it? THANK YOU G-d bless, hope this works.

aussie2

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 6:40 pm

Glad you worked out the issue w/ one of them at least..
I was supposed to get 3 cards & none showed up. I tried following up w/ the school & an email school gave me for this program & no response..
At this point, I basically gave up trying to get them though it would be really helpful.

thunderstorm

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 6:43 pm

aussie2 wrote:

Have you ever had Medicaid in the past? I heard they put it on that card even if the card is ancient and you no longer have those services.

amother

Cerise

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 9:41 pm

In nj I got one card for a few kids, not sure if that is the same everywhere. You can check the amount

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 9:46 pm

Who’s eligible? I got for some kid’s not all? Who would I contact?

amother

Periwinkle

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 9:53 pm

The funds are good for 1 year from when they issue it.

Just got a p-ebt card for my 3 year old. I didn't even know he was eligible. I got for my other kids back in the summer.

runninglate

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 9:57 pm

Are three year olds who just started school this year eligible? Or is it for last school year?

amother

Gold

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 10:03 pm

Is every child 120 years old?

Blessing1

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 10:06 pm

aussie2 wrote:

I got the cards this week after having given up hope.
The envelope looks like a junk mail envelope, hope no one accidentally threw them out.

Blessing1

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 10:06 pm

runninglate wrote:

Are three year olds who just started school this year eligible? Or is it for last school year?

It's from last school year.

Blessing1

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 10:07 pm

amother [ Gold ] wrote:

Is every child 120 years old?

Haha. They say on the automated line that all cards with a DOB of 1900 are P EBT cards.

BS"D!!!

Wed, Oct 28 2020, 10:12 pm

Will families with kids in closed red zone schools also get food cards this year to make up for the lunches?

amother

Puce

Wed, Oct 28 2020, 10:17 pm

I got cards for my children now for the first time. How much money is on it? Do I just use it in the store like a credit card?

amother

Lavender

Wed, Oct 28 2020, 10:22 pm

I only got for one kid. Which kids are officially eligible? How much was the norm to get?