CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina is making an additional $200,000 available to feed the state's 800,000 children who typically receive free or reduced lunch meals at school. The parent or guardian will receive $250 for each eligible child.
Those schools have been closed since at least March 30, when North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper put a stay home order into effect. Some districts elected to close earlier.
Children have been relaying on other benefits and community programs for those meals.
In Mecklenburg County, school officials continue to offer meals through a drive-thru food distribution program at its school locations.
On Monday, Governor Roy Cooper announced North Carolina approved the new Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, to help families purchase food for children impacted by school closings due to COVID-19.
The program provides a benefit on an EBT card to North Carolina families whose children are eligible for free and reduced lunch at school. Families will receive $250 in P-EBT benefits per child, provided in two installments, with the possibility of an additional benefit if North Carolina schools are closed beyond May 15. Families will be able to use the P-EBT benefit to purchase food items at EBT authorized retailers, including most major grocery stores.
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