Virginia students who were absent from school from September to October last year due to COVID-19 can now receive free school meals.

With newly revised eligibility requirements, Virginia’s Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program is now providing free meals to students and schools that qualify. Benefits have been issued retroactively since May 25 and will continue until June 24.

Students are eligible to receive meals if they attend a P-EBT-eligible school and qualify for free or reduced-price school meals under the National School Lunch Program. Eligibility can also apply if students attend schools that participate in the Community Eligibility Provision program.

Students must also have either participated in full-time, remote instructions provided by their school division or have been absent due to issues caused by COVID-19 like illnesses, community transmission or quarantining. Students enrolled in full-time, virtual schools are not eligible for the 2021-2022 school year.

Schools eligible for benefits, meanwhile, must have been closed or operating at reduced attendance for five consecutive days due to COVID-19-related issues, and be a participant in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program. Schools and students must meet all eligibility requirements to receive benefits. The receipt of P-EBT benefits for previous school years does not guarantee eligibility for the 2021-2022 school year.

The amount of meals are based on the number of school absences for each student and whether they meet program requirements each month. Households with students who might qualify should visit www.pebtva.com to learn more about the changed eligibility requirements.

Questions about benefits may go to the P-EBT Call Center at (866) 513-1414 or (804) 294-1633 from Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m, and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Households with students that don’t meet eligibility requirements can visit commonhelp.virginia.gov to check their eligibility for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. They can also text ‘FOOD’ to 304304 to find Summer Meal Sites, or contact 211 Virginia to find local food resources in their area.