Some CPS parents are just getting summer 2022 pandemic food benefit cards now, with no explanation
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The parents of more than a million children in Illinois were expecting to receive food-benefit debit cards as part of the summer 2022 pandemic program – but the problem is it's December and some students are just getting them now.
As CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey reported, the amount of money involved here is not small – it amounts to nearly $400 for each kid.
The state says most of the money actually went out in October. But some families are reporting that they're just getting the benefits now, and they might not even know they got them. Some families got cards in the mail this week with no explanation of where they even came from.
We had a hard time tracking down information too. It turns out the Illinois Department of Human Services issued summer P-EBT benefits - to the tune of $391 - to the bulk of eligible children in October.
Neither the Chicago Public Schools nor the state could explain exactly why some parents are just getting them now - and some moms and dads we talked to didn't know their cards had been reloaded.
"I didn't even know that was available," said CPS mom Lydia Shin, adding that she would check now that it was mentioned to her.
Dr. Deborah Frank is a professor of child health and wellbeing at Boston University School of Medicine.
"Yes, somebody should be communicating," Frank said. "So again, the more, though, you can streamline it for everybody, the easier it is."
Frank said the P-EBT program did wonders for food insecurity during the pandemic. But continuing those benefits well beyond the pandemic will be key.
"The silly thing is, okay, so now we stop it? And what, it's going to happen next summer. So that that's my concern," she said.
The state says that if your card had a balance, it was reloaded. If it didn't, you should be getting a card in the mail - but the mailing has been irregular.
"It's confusing, and it's inequitable," Frank said.
We discovered that all 50 states were approved to operate a Pandemic EBT program during summer 2022. But some states have done a better job advertising it.
For example, the Department of Education in Missouri issued a form letter to schools to fill in and send to their parents.
Shin: "Maybe I haven't checked my email thoroughly enough? I don't know"
Hickey: "but maybe they should send out a reminder?"
Shin: "Right, or something, right - that would be nice."
CPS responded to us late Friday, pointing out that the state issues the cards and not the school district. CPS said they work with the state to share updates.
For more information on the program, follow this link.-- The parents of more than a million children in Illinois were expecting to receive food-benefit debit cards as part of the summer 2022 pandemic program – but the problem is it's December and some students are just getting them now.
As CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey reported, the amount of money involved here is not small – it amounts to nearly $400 for each kid.
The state says most of the money actually went out in October. But some families are reporting that they're just getting the benefits now, and they might not even know they got them. Some families got cards in the mail this week with no explanation of where they even came from.
We had a hard time tracking down information too. It turns out the Illinois Department of Human Services issued summer P-EBT benefits - to the tune of $391 - to the bulk of eligible children in October.
Neither the Chicago Public Schools nor the state could explain exactly why some parents are just getting them now - and some moms and dads we talked to didn't know their cards had been reloaded.
"I didn't even know that was available," said CPS mom Lydia Shin, adding that she would check now that it was mentioned to her.
Dr. Deborah Frank is a professor of child health and wellbeing at Boston University School of Medicine.
"Yes, somebody should be communicating," Frank said. "So again, the more, though, you can streamline it for everybody, the easier it is."
Frank said the P-EBT program did wonders for food insecurity during the pandemic. But continuing those benefits well beyond the pandemic will be key.
"The silly thing is, okay, so now we stop it? And what, it's going to happen next summer. So that that's my concern," she said.
The state says that if your card had a balance, it was reloaded. If it didn't, you should be getting a card in the mail - but the mailing has been irregular.
"It's confusing, and it's inequitable," Frank said.
We discovered that all 50 states were approved to operate a Pandemic EBT program during summer 2022. But some states have done a better job advertising it.
For example, the Department of Education in Missouri issued a form letter to schools to fill in and send to their parents.
Shin: "Maybe I haven't checked my email thoroughly enough? I don't know"
Hickey: "but maybe they should send out a reminder?"
Shin: "Right, or something, right - that would be nice."
CPS issued this statement late Friday:
"The P-EBT cards are issued by the State of Illinois, not Chicago Public Schools (CPS). We work collaboratively with our State partners to share updates and are always eager to pass on news of additional benefits to our families."