NEW CASTLE — The Delaware Division of Social Services is issuing retroactive emergency food assistance benefits under the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program for school year 2022-’23 and summer 2023 to Delaware households with eligible children.

Eligible households began receiving P-EBT benefits beginning in August.

Benefits from fall 2022 (September-December 2022) are available on EBT cards as of Aug. 18. Benefits from spring 2023 (January-May 2023) will be available on EBT cards Sept. 27, 2023, while benefits from summer 2023 will be available Oct. 13.

Delaware’s P-EBT Program provides food assistance to families with children who lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to school closures or reduced in-person attendance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The P-EBT Program was implemented as a result of the federal public health emergency declaration for COVID-19 and will end after the summer 2023 retroactive benefits are issued.

Eligible households will receive written notification in the mail regarding P-EBT benefits for the 2022-’23 school year and summer 2023.

Families with questions about Delaware’s P-EBT program can contact the Division of Social Services at 1-866-843-7212 or visit Delaware’s P-EBT website at Dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dss/pebt.html,