September 15, 2023
Dear Tuscarora Families,
The purpose of this letter is to provide additional information about a letter our TSD families may have recently received regarding Electronic Benefit Transfer or EBT cards.
You are probably aware that our district has qualified for, and we have opted into, a program called Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). In simple terms, this allows us to provide free breakfasts and lunches to all of our TSD students regardless of income. This CEP program was in place for the 2022/23 school year and again for this school year. As an extension of this program, students who qualified for free/reduced lunches as of May 2023 (all of our TSD students qualified due to our district’s CEP status) were then eligible for additional benefits to cover summer food costs.
Even though summer has ended, these funds are now finally becoming available. Students who previously had EBT cards should have $120 loaded onto their existing cards. Students who have never had an EBT card should receive a P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer) card in the mail with $120 preloaded as the letter describes.
As far as I know, this is a one-time provision which is connected back to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), passed in 2020. This is not a TSD sponsored program, but I wanted to explain the process to our families and verify that the letter you may have received is legitimate. Most questions should be directed to the contacts listed in the letter or possibly the website below.
https://www.connectebt.com/paebtclient/
Thank you. Have a great weekend.
TSD Proud,
Mr. B.