Cape district announces food benefit for families

Families with at least one student at Cape Girardeau's public schools are eligible for up to $302, per student, in benefits, the district announced this week, and students at other school districts could qualify too.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently announced that under the Families First Coronavirus Act of 2020, families that qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school may be eligible for a one-time Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) benefit.

That means any student who qualifies for free or reduced-price meals could be eligible, but students at the Cape Girardeau public schools automatically qualify because of the district's participation in a federal program to allow free breakfast and lunch to every student -- the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP, status, said district spokeswoman Kristin Tallent.

Tallent said that if families received SNAP benefits during March, there is no need to apply, since cards should be preloaded with the benefit.

If a family doesn't already receive SNAP benefits, Tallent said, they'll need to apply.

The application is available at capetigers.com, and can be filled out by any area family, regardless of whether the student attends Cape Central district schools, Tallent added, provided the student is eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school.

A paper copy of the application can be printed out and mailed to the address on it, or it can be filled out online, Tallent said.

Any questions can be directed to (855) 373-4636.

Tallent added, "We're very excited about this for our families. That every family qualifies, no matter their income status, is pretty amazing."

The $302 figure comes from DESE, and include $57 for March, $125 for April and $120 for May.

"I think it is an opportunity for families," Tallent said. "Certainly, some need the money, and some are in a situation where they don't necessarily need the money, but they can still fill out the application and donate ... either to another family or to our foundation to serve children in another way."

Tallent added that DESE officials said it could take awhile for families to receive the funds, so patience is important.