New York P-EBT Phone Number

Even though the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) offices may be closed due to the pandemic, OTDA employees are assisting people by telephone. In this post, we will provide the New York P-EBT Phone Number to call for help with your Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits.

However, before you call the New York P-EBT Helpline, scroll below to see if the question you are calling about is already answered here.

Table of Contents:

• How Does New York P-EBT Program Work?
• New York P-EBT Phone Number
• When will New York Issue P-EBT for Summer 2022?
• Activate New York P-EBT Card
• How Do I check my New York P-EBT Card Balance?
• What can I buy with the P-EBT card?
• Who receives the P-EBT benefit for eligible students?
• Are non-citizen students eligible for P-EBT?
• I don’t want to use my P-EBT funds. What do I do?

How Does New York P-EBT Program Work?

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.

The P-EBT in New York is administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).

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.

New York P-EBT Phone Number

If you have an issue with your New P-EBT card, see the contact number below:

The helpline can answer questions about whether your P-EBT food benefits are available and how much you received.

You can also order a new EBT card if your current card has been lost, stolen, or damaged.

Call the New York State P-EBT food benefits helpline at 1-833-452-0096

Representatives are available between 8:00 am – 7:00 pm., Monday through Friday.

You can also email questions to otda.sm.eisp.PEBT@otda.ny.gov.

To save you time and frustration, we have provided answers below to the most common reasons people call the New York P-EBT Phone Number.

Scroll down to see if your question is answered below.

How to speak to a live person

Here’s how to reach a LIVE person at the P-EBT Phone Helpline:

It can be frustrating to call the P-EBT helpline and find yourself speaking to an automated system.

Here is how you can get to a real person when you call the P-EBT helpline:

Step 1

Call 1-833-452-0096 for assistance.

Step 2

Select “1” for English

Step 3

The auto-attendant will read a list of menu items.

Step 5

Press “0” to speak to a representative.

Before you call the New P-EBT Phone Number

As we mentioned above, the New York P-EBT Phone lines are flooded with phone calls from people trying to get details about P-EBT benefits for their kids.

Therefore, hold times are long when you call the phone number.

We have answered the top questions people call the New York P-EBT Phone Number for.

Scroll down below to see if your question has been answered below.

When will New York Issue P-EBT for Summer 2022?

Here’s what you need to know:

NYC Students

This summer all families of New York City public school students will receive $375 per child in P-EBT food benefits.

This is the Summer 2021 P-EBT food benefits – which are being paid in the Summer of 2022.

The date for payment of the 2022 P-EBT benefits has not yet been announced.

The P-EBT program was created to help families pay for meals during remote learning while schools were closed due to the pandemic.

Families do not have to apply for P-EBT food benefits.

The benefits of $375 per child will automatically be issued to eligible children.

If your child attends public school in NYC, here’s what you need to know about summer 2022 P-EBT:

• Benefits will automatically be issued to all eligible students, program enrollment is not required.
• For students whose households receive SNAP, Temporary Assistance, or Medicaid benefits, P-EBT benefits will be loaded into 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.

Upstate New York Students:

New York State continues to distribute P-EBT food benefits to all households with eligible children who receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act.

Each eligible student will receive $375 in Summer 2021 P-EBT food benefits – which are being paid in the Summer of 2022.

Nearly all eligible children throughout the state, who had their in-person attendance reduced during the 2020-21 school year due to the pandemic have been issued their P-EBT food benefits.

How do I check my P-EBT Benefits?

You can check your family’s P-EBT food benefit transaction history by visiting www.connectebt.com.

Also, you can call 1-888-328-6399.

Additionally, for other P-EBT-related questions, please call the P-EBT Food Benefits Helpline at 1-833-452-0096.

How do I Activate 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.

How Do I check my New York P-EBT Card Balance?

There are three ways to check your P-EBT Balance – Over the phone, via your last transaction receipt, and online.

You can check your New York P-EBT Card balance by calling the Customer Service number on the back of your card.

Here’s the phone number to call: New York P-EBT Customer Service Number: 1-888-328-6399.

Also, you can check the balance on your New York P-EBT card through your last transaction receipt.

Additionally, 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.

What can I buy with the P-EBT card?

You can buy most fresh, canned, and frozen food items including but not limited to:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Meat, dairy, and eggs
• Rice, beans, and dry goods
• Seeds to grow your own plants

What items can I NOT buy with the P-EBT card?

Items you can NOT buy with your P-EBT card include:

• Prepared meals sold hot and ready to eat
• Diapers
• Cleaning products
• Toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
• Supplements/medicine
• Pet food
• Alcohol

For more information regarding eligible food items, click here.

Who receives the P-EBT benefit for eligible students?

New York P-EBT benefits are available to all students who would qualify for free school lunches including those at private, pre-k, parochial, and charter schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program.

Are non-citizen students eligible for P-EBT?

Non-citizen students qualify for P-EBT benefits if they are eligible to receive free and reduced-price school meals in a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program.

I don’t want to use my P-EBT funds. What do I do?

If you do not feel your family needs the P-EBT benefits, and you would like to decline benefits, please destroy the card after you get it.

P-EBT benefits are non-transferable.

New York P-EBT Phone Number Summary

We hope this post on New York P-EBT Phone Number was helpful.

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:

• Get Free Admissions with New York EBT Card
• How to Get a Replacement New York SNAP EBT Card
• New York to Get 25% SNAP Increase
• New York P-EBT Extension