Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced an estimated $99,814,480 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to provide a payment of $391 for approximately 255,280 West Virginia children to access healthy food and meals through the summer months. The funding is provided through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program and was made available in part by the American Rescue Plan.
“The American Rescue Plan continues to deliver critical relief for West Virginia, and I am pleased the USDA is investing more than $99 million to ensure West Virginia children have access to quality, nutritious food. Combatting food insecurity is one of my top priorities, and this funding will support more than 255,000 children and their families across the Mountain State,” said Senator Manchin. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for resources to feed West Virginians in need.”
The P-EBT program allows eligible school children to receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits that are used to purchase quality food. Children who receive free or reduced-price meals are eligible for P-EBT benefits, along with younger children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and attending certain child care institutions. The American Rescue Plan extended the P-EBT program to cover the summer months and support children and families in need while school is out of session. Last July, Senator Manchin announced $96.7 million in P-EBTs benefits for West Virginia children for the summer 2021 months.
