This page provides information on FoodShare benefits increasing from January through June, additional benefits for March for some FoodShare members, temporary food benefits for children who usually get free or reduced price schools meals, ordering and paying for food online with QUEST or P-EBT cards, and temporary changes to FoodShare program rules.
FoodShare benefits will increase from January through September
If you are enrolled in FoodShare, you will get more money than usual put on your QUEST card each month starting in January and ending in September. You will get about 15% more than you usually get. You will get this extra money because of a law passed by the federal government in December, and extended by a law in March, to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You do not need to do anything to get this extra money. Through September, the extra money will automatically be put on your QUEST card each month on the day money is usually put on your QUEST card. As a reminder, this day is based on the eighth digit of your Social Security number. You were sent a different letter in February telling you how much money you will get each month.
Note: This extra money is different from the additional benefits described below. For that, you get the maximum amount of benefits you can get for your family size.
You can check the balance on your QUEST card at any time through the ebtEDGE website or ebtEDGE mobile app or by calling QUEST Card Service at 877-415-5164.
FoodShare members are getting additional FoodShare benefits in July
If you are enrolled in FoodShare, you are getting additional FoodShare benefits in May to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting in April, all FoodShare members are getting at least $95 in additional benefits each month. Some households will get more to bring their benefit amount to the maximum monthly benefit amount for their household size.
The benefits will be put on your QUEST card on July 17. You will be sent a letter the week of July 19 telling you that you got the additional FoodShare benefits and how much was put on your QUEST card.
We are checking that everyone who should have gotten additional benefits got them. As a result, some members may get their June benefits on August 12 and their July benefits on September 4.
You can check the balance on your QUEST card at any time through the ebtEDGE website or ebtEDGE mobile app or by calling QUEST Card Service at 877-415-5164.
| People in household | Maximum monthly benefit amount |
|---|---|
| 1 | $234 |
| 2 | $430 |
| 3 | $616 |
| 4 | $782 |
| Each additional person | $176 |
Food benefits for students learning at home and young children
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is a federal program that provides food benefits to the families of children who may be experiencing greater need because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are currently three different types of P-EBT available:
School P-EBT
School P-EBT offers food benefits for children who usually get free or reduced price meals at schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program, but who learned from home full or part-time during the 2020-2021 school year.
Benefits for School P-EBT are calculated based on the number of days that a child did not have access to meals at school because they learned from home. $6.82 will be provided for each of these days.
Pre-6 P-EBT
Pre-6 P-EBT provides food benefits for families in FoodShare with children who were under the age of 6 as of October 1, 2020 and who did not receive School P-EBT.
Summer P-EBT
The Summer P-EBT program will help families with eligible children whose access to free or reduced-price meals at school or other food benefits has been impacted by COVID-19. This program will cover the time between the 2020-2021 school year and the 2021-2022 school year and benefits will be issued on August 21. Eligible children will receive a one-time payment of $375.
Eligible children are:
- Children who received School P-EBT benefits during any month of the 2020-2021 school year
- Young children who received Pre-6 P-EBT benefits for at least one month of the 2020-2021 school year and live in a household that receives FoodShare benefits during at least one covered summer month (June, July, or August 2021)
- Children who were enrolled during May or June 2021 in free or reduced price meals at a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program and that met certain other program eligibility criteria, even if they did not receive School P-EBT benefits during the school year
Families with a current P-EBT card should remember to keep their cards because summer benefits may be loaded onto it.
To be notified of updates about any of the P-EBT programs, sign up to get P-EBT emails.
Ordering and paying for food online using your QUEST or P-EBT card
If you get FoodShare or have gotten Pandemic EBT benefits, you can order and pay for your food on Amazon’s and Walmart Grocery’s websites using your QUEST or P-EBT card. There will be an EBT card payment option for you to enter your card details. You will need to enter your card PIN each time you check out.
You can only use your QUEST or P-EBT card to buy food. If you are buying other items at the same time, you need to use another form of payment to pay for those items.
Amazon delivers across the state and offers free shipping on eligible orders over a certain dollar amount. Walmart may deliver depending on where you live, or you may need to pick up your order at the store. In some cases, you may be charged a delivery fee. You will not be able to use your QUEST or P-EBT card to pay this fee. You will need to use another form of payment instead.
If you experience any issues when using your QUEST or P-EBT card to pay online, first make sure you have a balance on your card by going to the ebtEDGE website, using the ebtEDGE mobile app, or calling QUEST Card Service at 877-415-5164. If you have a balance and are still unable to complete your transaction, contact customer service at Amazon or Walmart for help.
Currently, Amazon, Walmart, ALDI (with Instacart), and Woodman's grocery stores all accept QUEST or P-EBT cards for online orders on their websites. (Their websites refer to these cards as “SNAP EBT” or “EBT” cards.)
Temporary changes to FoodShare program rules
We have temporarily changed FoodShare program rules for renewals, Six-Month Reports, and interviews.
Renewals
Renewals due in March, April, May, and June 2021 postponed for 12 months
We have postponed renewals that were originally due in March, April, May, and June 2021 for a total of 12 months. If your renewal was due in those months, you will now need to complete the renewal process in March, April, May, and June 2022 instead. You will get a letter in the mail about 45 days before your renewal is due. You will also see a message in your ACCESS account.
Some FoodShare renewals started again in April 2021
Based on federal law, we can only postpone FoodShare renewals for a certain amount of time. As a result, members who had renewals postponed last year need to complete the renewal process this year. If you need to complete the renewal process, you will get a letter in the mail about 45 days before your renewal is due. You will also see a message in your ACCESS account.
Renewals cannot be postponed starting July 2021
Starting in July 2021, any renewals originally due in July 2021 and months after that will need to be completed. We are not able to postpone those renewals under current federal law.
Six-Month Reports
Six-Month Reports don’t need to be completed through November 2021
If you would have had a Six-Month Report due in March through November 2021, you do not need to complete and submit the report.
Starting in December 2021, FoodShare members will once again need to complete and submit Six-Month Reports to let us know that the information we have on file for their household is correct. When it is time for you to complete your Six-Month Report, you will get a paper report form in the mail and see a message in your ACCESS account.
Interviews
FoodShare applicants may not need to do an interview through September 30, 2021
If you are applying for or renewing your FoodShare benefits, make sure you give us as much information as possible. If we have all the information necessary to process your application or renewal, then you may not need to do an interview with your agency. This applies through September 30, 2021.
If you do not provide all the necessary information, your agency will contact you for more information.
