Wisconsin Receives USDA Approval to Provide Food Benefits in July for Children Under Six Not Enrolled in School

At the 2022 Hunger and Health Summit in Wisconsin Dells yesterday, the Department of Health Services (DHS) announced that Wisconsin has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service for its plan to send out 2021-2022 pre-6 pandemic electronic benefits transfer (P-EBT). The pre-6 P-EBT program provides food benefits for children under the age of six (as of September 1, 2021) who are members of FoodShare households and who are not receiving benefits as part of the school-age P-EBT program because they are not enrolled in school.

“The Department of Health Services is continuing to work hard to ensure that Wisconsin families have the food they need to support their youngest during their child’s early years of development,” said Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “These supplemental food benefits provide critical support to families impacted by COVID-19.”

Families will receive letters notifying them of how much they are receiving for September 2021 through June 2022, when benefits are issued in mid-July. DHS will determine benefit amounts based on a formula that was developed to meet federal requirements and maximize benefits for families. A child must have received benefits as part of an active FoodShare household during a month in order to get pre-6 P-EBT benefits for that same month.

Benefits will be issued automatically to FoodShare households with children that qualify – they do not need to do anything to get these benefits. Pre-6 P-EBT benefits will be put on FoodShare households’ QUEST card.

To learn more, visit the Pre-6 P-EBT: Food Benefits for Young Children in FoodShare Families webpage.