How To Activate Food Stamp Card : P-EBT Food Benefit Card Activation Guide
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.
How much will my child/children receive in P-EBT food benefits?
Eligible children will receive P-EBT food benefits based on the number of days their school has reported that it was closed, or that in-person attendance was reduced due to COVID-19. There are two different amounts that an eligible child may receive:
- Children whose schools reported that their in-person school attendance was reduced by 1 to 12 days during a month, will receive $82 in P-EBT food benefits for that month.
- Children whose schools reported that their in-person school attendance was reduced for more than 12 days during a month, will receive $132 in P-EBT food benefits for that month
- Children whose schools reported that their in-person attendance was not reduced during a month due to COVID will not receive a benefit for that month.
How To Activate Food Stamp Card :
- 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.

To Order a Replacement P-EBT Food Benefit Card:
Important: Replacement P-EBT Food Benefit cards should only be requested when the previously issued card has been lost, stolen or damaged. Food benefits will be issued as monthly in-person school attendance information provided by schools and school districts is reviewed and processed. Ordering a replacement card will not result in receiving your child(ren)’s P-EBT food benefits faster and, in some cases, may delay access to your child(ren)’s benefits
You can order a replacement P-EBT Food Benefit card by calling 1-888-328-6399. Please be prepared to provide security information, including the 19-digit card number that was printed on the front of the P-EBT Food Benefit card you are replacing.
- If you do not have that number, you will be asked for the cardholder’s Social Security Number; however, when ordering a replacement P-EBT Food Benefit card (and only when ordering a P-EBT Food Benefit card), you must enter 999-99 and then the 2-digit month and 2-digit day (MM/DD) of the cardholder’s birthday.
- For example, if your child’s date of birth is July 4, you would enter 999-99-0704 when asked for his/her social security number.
- You will then be asked to verify the cardholder’s 8-digit birthday (MM/DD/YYYY) and to enter the 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) you selected for the P-EBT food benefit card that you are replacing. If you did not previously create a PIN, you will still be able to order a replacement card by following the prompts.
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