Are you trying to check the balance on your New Pandemic EBT Card (P-EBT)? In today’s post, we will outline the options you have to find out your New York P-EBT card balance. New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is responsible for administering the P-EBT Program. P-EBT benefits are meant to replace breakfast and lunch that children who received free or reduced-price meals would normally receive during distance learning due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Before we get into how to check your balance or activate your card, we will first explain how the New York P-EBT program works.
Next, we will walk you through how to activate a new P-EBT card.
Also, we will explain the two ways you can check the balance on your P-EBT card.
Finally, we will answer the most frequently asked P-EBT questions, including when you can expect P-EBT benefits for the 2022 school year.
- New York P-EBT Program – How it Works
- How do I Activate New York P-EBT Card?
- How Do I check my New York P-EBT Card Balance?
- New York P-EBT FAQs
For summer 2021 P-EBT benefits, click here.
New York P-EBT Program – How it Works
The New York P-EBT program provides food benefits to children who miss the opportunity to receive school meals due to pandemic-related school closures.
These benefits will take the form of funds on electronic benefit transfer (EBT cards) which can be used in the same manner as SNAP (food stamp) cards.
Children enrolled at schools where breakfast and lunch services are provided by the New York Department of Education’s food and nutrition program are eligible for P-EBT.
Here’s what parents of eligible children need to know about New York P-EBT:
- Benefits will automatically be issued to all eligible students.
- For students whose households receive SNAP, Temporary Assistance, or Medicaid benefits, P-EBT benefits will be loaded to those household accounts.
- For all other students, new cards will be issued to each student specifically for P-EBT benefits and mailed directly to students’ home addresses.
How do I activate my New York P-EBT Card?
In order to use your child’s P-EBT Food Benefit card, you must first call the EBT customer service hotline to select a Personal Identification Number – or PIN.
- Using a touch-tone phone, dial 1-888-328-6399.
- When prompted, select your preferred language– for example, press ‘1’ for English.
- Next, enter the 19-digit number from the front of the card using your phone’s keypad.
- After entering the card number, you will hear a series of options. If you have not used the card before to access P-EBT food benefits, press ‘1’ to create your PIN.
- You will be asked to provide the last four digits of the cardholder’s Social Security Number. (The cardholder is the child whose name is printed on the front of the P-EBT Food Benefit card.)
- Do NOT enter the last four digits of the child’s Social Security Number. Instead, you must enter the two-digit month and two-digit day of the child’s birthday (MM/DD). For example, if the child’s birthday is July 4, enter 0704. *Be sure to enter the child’s actual birthday and not the fake birthday printed on the front of the card.
- After entering the child’s birthday information, you’ll be asked to enter your zip code.
- Finally, select your new 4-digit PIN by entering a 4-digit number using your phone’s keypad. You will be required to enter this PIN whenever you make a purchase using your P-EBT Food Benefit card.
Alternatively, you can watch the video below for instructions on how to activate your New York P-EBT Card.
How Do I check my New York P-EBT Card Balance?
You have two options available to you to check the New York P-EBT balance.
Option 1 – Check by Phone
You can check your New York P-EBT Card balance by calling the Customer Service number on the back of your card.
We have also provided the number below for your convenience.
New York P-EBT Customer Service Number: 1-888-328-6399.
The Customer Service Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
After you call, enter your P-EBT card number and you will hear your account balance.
Option 2 – Check your Last Receipt
Also, you can check the balance on your New York P-EBT card through your last transaction receipt.
This is the easiest and quickest way to locate the current balance on your P-EBT Card.
To locate the balance, look at the bottom of your most recent grocery store receipt.
Furthermore, it is a good practice to keep your most current P-EBT receipt.
That way, you always have a quick way to check your P-EBT card balance before you shop.
Option 3 – Check Balance Online
Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your P-EBT card balance by visiting www.connectebt.com.
New York P-EBT FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the New York P-EBT program:
When Will P-EBT for the 2022 be Reloaded?
P-EBT benefits of $375 per child will automatically be issued to eligible children in upstate New York and to all children attending NYC public schools.
Payments will be made from July – September 2022.
This summer 2022 payment covers Summer 2021 P-EBT benefits.
P-EBT benefits for Summer 2022 have not yet been announced for New York.
How do I Contact New York P-EBT Customer Service?
Here’s the number to call for P-EBT support:
EBT Customer Service: 1-888-328-6399
You can call the number to:
- Request a replacement card
- Check your P-EBT balance
- Activate (PIN) a card
- Reset your PIN
Additionally, you can also check your card balance by visiting www.connectebt.com.
Here are additional P-EBT Support Information:
NY State P-EBT Hotline: 1-833-452-0096.
Get help to activate a card if you’re having trouble activating your P-EBT Card.
NY State P-EBT Contact Form: Bit.ly/PEBTcontactform
To update your mailing address on file.
New York P-EBT Balance Summary
Here’s the bottom line:
There are three ways to check your P-EBT Balance – Over the phone, via your last transaction receipt, and online.
To activate your New York P-EBT card, follow the instructions that come with your card.
However, you will be required to create your private PIN number, which you will need to use your card to make purchases.
Also, you can call the EBT Customer Service Center at 1-888-328-6399 for help.
Still Have Questions?
To return to the main P-EBT Guide, click here: New York P-EBT Guide.
For details on the 2020-2021 School Year Extension, click here: New York P-EBT Extension.
Summer 2021 P-EBT Details can be found here: Summer 2021 New York P-EBT.
To apply for SNAP benefits in New York, click here: New York SNAP Eligibility Guide.
For details on Restaurants that take food stamps in New York, click here: What Fast Food Restaurants Take SNAP in New York?
If you have further questions about New York EBT Card or SNAP benefits, please let us know in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out our other articles about New York Food Stamps New York EBT, including: