Summer P-EBT distribution on Saipan starts tomorrow

The Nutrition Assistance Program of the Department of Community & Cultural Affairs will begin the one-week distribution of Summer Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer coupons, or Summer P-EBT, starting tomorrow, Saturday, to approximately 5,564 families on Saipan.

NAP administrator Walter Macaranas said yesterday that approximately 284 families on Tinian and 239 families on Rota will also be receiving the Summer P-EBT coupons.

Summer P-EBT is an extension of the Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer, or P-EBT, for school year 2020-21. P-EBT is a federal program that provides food stamp benefits to school-aged children who lost access to school meals because their school was closed or operating with reduced in-person attendance due to COVID-19 in school year 2020-21.

P-EBT provides the Marianas an estimated $11.1 million. The Summer P-EBT, on the other hand, is estimated at $5.5 million, Macaranas said.

NAP and the Public School System’s Child Nutrition Program are partnering to administer the program.

Macaranas said the distribution schedule for Tinian and Rota will be facilitated by the DCCA offices on both islands.

For Saipan, the distribution will begin tomorrow, Saturday, and continue until Nov. 20, from 8am to 6pm, via drive-thru at the NAP Office in As Lito.

The distribution will be issued based on the last name of the head of household who was designated as the parent or legal guardian on their children’s school record.

The last day of distribution, Nov. 20, a Saturday, is designated as “Open Day,” during which households on Saipan who weren’t able to pick up their benefits on their scheduled date may do so.

Macaranas said identification will be required to be presented upon receiving the benefit.

He said households will be required to provide a valid photo identification such as a driver’s license, passport, municipal ID, U.S. permanent resident card, or others. He said the ID must have a valid date or not expired and that the identity of the parent or legal guardian will be verified against the list of eligible households.

Households who received the regular school year 2020-21 P-EBT benefits will not be required to submit an application for Summer P-EBT.

Macaranas said, however, that households who did not participate during the regular P-EBT will be required to submit an application for the Summer-P-EBT.

Majority of the households who received the P-EBT coupons for school year 2020-21 will receive Summer P-EBT. Macaranas said this includes households with high school children who graduated in SY 2020-21.

However, he said, any child who dropped out of school before the end of the school year 2020-21 will not be eligible for Summer P-EBT.

The requisite for Summer P-EBT coupons require that the child was actively enrolled in school during the last month of SY 2020-21.

NAP opened the application period for Summer P-EBT beginning Oct. 18, 2021, and will end on Nov. 30, 2021.

Applications that were submitted on Oct. 18 and 19 and have been considered approved by NAP will be included with the distribution during Nov. 13 to 20, 2021.

Macaranas said approved applications will be posted on the NAP’s website: https://cnminap.gov.mp.

He said distribution of benefits for approved applications submitted from Oct. 20 to Nov. 30, 2021, will be issued in December 2021. He said a definite schedule will be announced at a later date.

Macaranas said applications can only be picked up at the NAP Office at the JTV Commercial Building in As Lito, Saipan, or at the Public Gymnasium on San Jose, Tinian, or at the NAP Office in Songsong on Rota.

Applications will be available for pick up during business hours from 7:30am to 4:30pm beginning Oct. 18, 2021, to Nov. 30, 2021. Applications must be submitted in person with a copy of their valid photo ID at these locations by Nov. 30, 2021 no later than 4:30pm. Macaranas said there will be no extensions.

The reimbursement amount for Summer-P-EBT will be the same for each eligible child regardless of whether they were enrolled in public or private school. Each eligible child will receive $438 for the Summer-P-EBT. The benefits will be provided in the form of NAP coupons and will be valid through March 31, 2022.

For Saipan, Summer P-EBT coupons will be issued according to the first letter of the head of household’s last name per the following schedule:

A to B—Nov. 13
C to D—Nov. 14
E to K—Nov. 15
L to N—Nov. 16
O to R—Nov. 17
S to T—Nov. 18
U to Z—Nov. 19
OPEN DAY—Nov. 20

After these dates and through March 31, 2022, households are permitted to walk-in to the NAP Benefit Issuance Section in As Lito from 8am to 3pm. Face masks or face covering will be required upon entering the building.

NAP started distributing P-EBT on Saipan on Aug. 10, 2021, to approximately 5,314 families on Saipan. DCCA also distributed P-EBT benefits in August to 282 households on Tinian and 236 on Rota.

The American Rescue Plan Act, which amended the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary to allow states to extend their P-EBT plans during the summer.