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In partnership to promote Earth Day, the IHSA is teaming up with Dairy Good and Midwest Dairy to create a challenge for all IHSA teams to participate in to promote sustainability! Any IHSA sport or activity team can submit a video!

Teams will be judged on their creativity, originality, and showmanship. The top four TikTok’s will be announced on April 8, 2022 by 4 PM. The top four teams will be featured in an online IHSA social media voting campaign.

Online social media voting will take place from Monday, April 11, 2022 to Wednesday, April 13, 2022. The winner announced during the week of April 18, 2022.

Earth Day Challenge Parameters:

• Any members of your team can participate. There is no limit or minimum to the number of athletes that must appear in the video.
• 30-second minimum; 60-second maximum.
• Must post the video on TikTok to a public account and include the hashtags [#IHSADairy #SustainabiltyStartsWithUs]
• Choose any song (song bites available on TikTok)
• Themes can include: Refuel with Dairy while helping the planet
• The TikTok must showcase sustainability and a milk product (smoothies, cheeses, yogurt, healthy recipes)
• Videos must be submitted online from a public TikTok account by Thursday, April 7 at Noon!

Click here to find more information about the challenge through the IHSA Website.

Learn more about what the dairy industry is doing to increase and encourage sustainability by watching this short video from Midwest Dairy.

Schools and local organizations are at risk of losing critical flexibility in how they reach kids with the food they need. Early in the pandemic, Congress gave the USDA the authority to issue child nutrition waivers so that schools and local organizations could adapt their meal programs and feed kids in ways that work best for their communities. But unless Congress takes immediate action, their ability to continue doing so is in danger. That’s because the waivers expire on June 30 even though the challenges school meal programs are facing won’t be over by then.

We need your help. The USDA needs authority from Congress to extend waivers for the summer months and through the 2022-2023 school year. Join us on Thursday, February 24 for a day of action and urge Congress to act now.

Here are three things you can do on February 24:

1. Learn: Get up-to-speed about the role of child nutrition waivers in keeping kids healthy and fed during the pandemic. Click here to learn more.
2. Send: Write to your Members of Congress and urge them to give USDA the ability to extend these critical child nutrition waivers. Click here to submit a pre-written, customizable email.
3. Share: Spread the word on social media and encourage your networks to contact Congress too! Click here to send a tweet to your Members of Congress and share the images and messages below on your social channels.
• #ChildNutrition waivers help schools feed kids in ways that work for their community. But without intervention, these waivers are going to expire. Tell Congress to authorize the USDA to grant nationwide waivers through the 2022-23 school year. https://bit.ly/354FZnl
• National #ChildNutrition waivers that made it possible for schools and local organizations to adapt their programs so they could still reach kids with the food they need. But without intervention, those waivers will expire. Learn more and take action: https://bit.ly/3HYPrXH

P.S. If you are interested in becoming a Champion Advocate, a Chicagoland wide network of advocates building a grassroots movement to end hunger, please email Molly Dubow, Associate Manager of Advocacy at [email protected] to be added to the listserv. Advocates receive monthly legislative updates, action alerts, webinar invitations and more.

Thanks to the dedicated child nutrition advocates for laying out the who, what, when, and how of P-EBT.

We encourage all school administrators and Food Service Directors to share this resource with their community to help spread the word about P-EBT!

Click below for a printable version of the FAQ sheet
English
Spanish

What are P-EBT food benefits?
The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) provides benefits to certain children who receive free or reduced-price school lunches under the National School Lunch Act. P-EBT is a temporary food benefit program operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. P-EBT only provides benefits for days that students lack access to an in-school lunch. P-EBT provides $6.82 per each school day that children are engaged in remote learning.

Who is eligible for P-EBT benefits?
Your child and your school must meet certain criteria to be eligible for P-EBT:

Your Child:

• Must be enrolled in free or reduced-price school meals at a school operating the National School Lunch Program; OR,
• Must be enrolled in a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision-2 school, which offers breakfast and lunch free to all students; AND,
• Must have not had access to an in-school lunch at least some days of the month

Your School:

• Must operate the National School Lunch Program; AND,
• Must have been closed or operating at reduced capacity at least 5 consecutive days at some point during the 2020-2021 School Year.

How are P-EBT benefits issued? Do I need to apply?
If your child is already enrolled in free or reduced-price school meals AND your address is up-to-date:

• Your family will get P-EBT automatically. Each child will receive their own card.
• Cards will be mailed to you in March.
• Cards will arrive in an unmarked envelope so please be on the lookout.
• Families should hold onto their P-EBT card(s) because future benefits will be loaded onto the same card.

If you are new to a school district, if your child did not receive free or reduced-price meals last school year, OR if you recently moved:

• You must fill out an application for free or reduced-price school meals by contacting your school.

When will P-EBT benefits be issued?
Benefits will be issued for August 2020 through June 2021 for the days that schools have been closed during the 2020-2021 school year.

• In March, families will receive a distribution for the months of August 2020 through December 2020.
• In April, families will receive a distribution for January 2021 through February.
• Beginning in May, families will receive a monthly benefit for the remainder of the school year.

Benefits will be issued between the 11th and the 22nd of each month going by the first letter of the student’s last name. Students’ benefits will be issued on the same day in subsequent months so your family can plan your food budget.

I am worried about receiving P-EBT because of my immigration status. Will getting this benefit count in a public charge test?
No. It is important to know that P-EBT will not count in a public charge test. All students are eligible regardless of immigration status. Visit ProtectingImmigrantFamilies.Org for information about what public benefits impact the public charge test.

I have been receiving grab ‘n go meals at my school. Can I still receive P-EBT?
Yes, children and teens can still receive free meals from school and community sites AND get P-EBT, too – they are separate programs.
• To find free meal sites near you, text the word “food” or “comida” to “877-877”
• You can also visit your school district website to find school meal locations in your area.

In the 2019-2020 school year I had to apply for P-EBT benefits. Do I need to fill out another application?
You do not need to apply for P-EBT, but you must make sure your child is enrolled in free or reduced-price meals OR attends a CEP school where all meals are provided for free AND that your address is up-to-date with your school.


In the 2019-2020 school year I received P-EBT benefits. Will the benefits for the 2020-2021 school year be loaded onto the same P-EBT card?
No, you will receive a new P-EBT card with the student’s name on the card. Each month, benefits will automatically be loaded onto that card for as long as P-EBT operates.

In the 2019-2020 I received P-EBT benefits but I threw away or lost my P-EBT card. Can I still get benefits?
Yes, you will receive a new P-EBT card with the student’s name on the card. Each month, benefits will automatically be loaded onto that card for as long as P-EBT operates.

If I’m currently receiving LINK, can P-EBT benefits be loaded on to there?
No, you will receive a new EBT card with the student’s name on the card specifically for P-EBT. Each month, benefits will automatically be loaded onto that card for as long as P-EBT operates.

My child is attending school in the classroom every day. Are they eligible for P-EBT?
P-EBT benefits are supposed to replace the meals that students receive in person at the school. A student who is in the classroom full-time will receive meals at the school instead of receiving a P-EBT benefit.

My child is attending school in a hybrid model where they are in the classroom some days and learning remote some days. Are they eligible for P-EBT?
Yes, your child’s attendance will be counted by the school and they will receive a benefit amount based on the number of days that they lack access to an in-school lunch.

I think my child is eligible for free or reduced-price meals but we haven’t enrolled. Can I still get P-EBT?
You can still get P-EBT but you must apply for free or reduced-price meals with your child’s school. You may be eligible for benefits retroactive to August but you should apply as soon as possible.
How do I know if my child is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch?
Visit https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IEG-21.pdf to view the income eligibility guidelines for free or reduced-price school meals.

My child received free or reduced-price school meals, but I did not receive a P-EBT card in the mail. Who do I contact?

Benefit cards will not be mailed until March. If it is February or March, please be patient as the state implements this new program. If it is the end of March and you have not received your card please call the Illinois Department of Human Services at 1-800-843-6154 or email [email protected].

My child didn’t get P-EBT in the 2019-2020 school year. Can I apply now and still get P-EBT benefits for the 2019-2020 school year?
No, you cannot get P-EBT benefits for the 2019-2020 school year. However, you may be eligible to receive benefits retroactively to the start of this school year (August 2020) if your child was engaged in remote learning.

If my child receives P-EBT, can I still get food pantry benefits?
Yes, your participation in government programs does not affect your ability to get food from a food pantry.

Where can I redeem P-EBT benefits?
P-EBT benefits are provided on a card that can be used like a debit card to purchase food at SNAP authorized grocery stores.

Last updated February 18, 2021.

Finding safe and healthy food should never be a concern in Illinois. Thanks to the Feeding Illinois partnership, a network of eight food banks across the state ensure that every suburb, town, and neighborhood has food resources to feed individuals and families.

How to Use This Resource:
Depending on your county, your food bank provider and local food pantry may change. To find the closest food pantry, find the county you live or work in on the state regional maps below. Once found, click on the corresponding link which will take you to a geographic food finder tool built specifically for your region. Simply enter a zip code, address, school, or town into the search bar to find local food options. We advise visiting the website of your chosen food pantry or giving them a call to confirm openings/closures and hours of operation.

Central Illinois Food Bank

Counties served: Adams, Pike, Brown, Scott, Greene, Schuyler, Cass, Morgan, Macoupin, Menard, Sangamon, Montgomery, Bond, Logan, Christian, Macon, Shelby, Fayette, Effingham, Marion, Jefferson

Eastern Illinois Food Bank 

Counties served: Woodford, Livingston, Ford, Iroquois, De Witt, Platt, McLean, Champaign, Vermillion, Edgar, Douglas, Moultre, Coles, Clark, Cumberland, Jasper, Crawford, Clay

Greater Chicago Food Depository 

Counties served: Cook

Northern Illinois Food Bank 

Counties served: Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Dekalb, Kane, DuPage, Kendall, Will, Grundy, Kankakee

Peoria Area Food Bank 

Counties served: Peoria, Tazewell, Mason

River Bend Food Bank 

Counties served: Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside, Lee, Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, LaSalle, Mercer, Knox, Stark, Putnam, Marshall, Henderson, Warren, Hancock, McDonough, Fulton

St. Louis Area Food Bank  

Counties served: Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, St. Clair, Clinton, Monroe, Washington, Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Jackson, Williamson

Tri-State Food Bank 

Counties served: Richland, Lawrence, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Hamilton, White, Saline, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Pulaski, Massac

Looking for a resource to teach kids about where their food comes from? Connect with seventh-generation family-owned Jersey dairy farm Marcoot Jersey Creamery! Learn how they care for their cows to produce delicious milk for you to enjoy on this virtual Illinois dairy farm tour! Visit the Dairy Excellence Foundation YouTube Channel at 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 22 to view this tour live!

For more information, check out this flyer if you are a parent or student and this flyer if you are a teacher or school administrator wanting to use this trip as a part of your curriculum.

Many Bloomington-Normal kids will no longer get the free school meals they’ve been getting since the start of the pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture gave each school district waivers to put all students on the free meal plan at the start of the pandemic, including during the summer. But as schools reopen, many of them virtually, the federal agency reversed course and now has schools charging those families that typically pay the reduced or full price, based on financial need.

District 87’s Director of School Nutrition Caroline Bubulka said she has written Congress asking the USDA to reconsider.

“Many families have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bubulka said. “A lot of them are in different job situations. They may not have the income that they previously had.”

Unit 5 Director of Food Services Joanna Rewerts said tracking those charges for each family is a challenge, especially since the district is doing meal pickups and deliveries during remote learning.

Read the full story on the WGLT website.

The children are all smiles while eating an after-school meal at the Fleetwood Jourdain Community Center in Evanston. The City of Evanston sponsors the Center’s At-Risk After-School Meals program and is a recent recipient of a No Kid Hungry Illinois after-school meals expansion grant.

In partnership with Rise & Shine Illinois, the Illinois No Kid Hungry campaign awarded its first round of expansion grants for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk After-school Meals Program.  The purpose of the grants is to help sponsors maximize their ability to serve full supper meals and expand participation in the program. $10,000 was awarded to six different sponsoring organizations throughout the state:

• Northern Illinois Food Bank, Geneva
• Catholic Charities of Chicago, Chicago
• City of Evanston, Evanston
• Casa Central, Chicago
• Church of Peace, Rock Island
• Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center, Urbana

Grants are still available! Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with two remaining deadlines.  The next application deadline is August 15.  For full grant details and to apply, click here.