Summer EBT

Eligible families get a boost in their grocery budget when school is out each summer.

What is the Summer EBT program?

Summer EBT is a federal program that supports families who lose access to free school meals over the summer months. Families will receive an allotment of $120 for each eligible child to help cover the cost of groceries when school is out of session. Similar to SNAP (Basic Food), Summer EBT can be used to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other locations.

Summer EBT is administered by the Kentucky Department of Education.

Who is Eligible?

Summer EBT is available to school-aged children in Kentucky each summer. Eligibility is determined by household income. There is no citizenship requirement, and Summer EBT is not considered under the public charge rule.

There are multiple ways that families can have their income verified for Summer EBT eligibility. Expand the options below to learn

Children between the ages of 8 and 18, who participate in one or more of the following programs, are automatically eligible and will receive Summer EBT:

– SNAP (Basic Food)

– TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

– Medicaid (Apple Health)

– Head Start

– Students with homeless, foster, migrant, or runaway status

Children between the ages of 8 and 18, who participate in one or more of the following programs, are automatically eligible and will receive Summer EBT:

– SNAP (Basic Food)

– TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

– Medicaid (Apple Health)

– Head Start

– Students with homeless, foster, migrant, or runaway status

Eligibility for Summer EBT is confusing! Families can use the screening tool below to learn whether their child is eligible for benefits and whether they will need to apply.

Preparing for Summer 2025

Eligible families can get a boost in their grocery budget each summer when school is out of session.

Apply for Free & Reduced Price School Meals (if not a CEP school) – very few schools do not participate in CEP which does away with the need for F/R applications. HIF forms cannot be used for enrollment in Summer EBT.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Summer EBT benefits will be loaded on to the same card each year, so you should hang on to your card from summer to summer. If you lose a EBT card, you can request a new one by calling the Summer EBT Call Center at 888-979-994 between 8am and 5pm, Monday-Friday.

Children of all ages who are enrolled in a school that operates the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) can be eligible for Summer EBT. This includes students at public pre-schools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools, as well as students participating in programs for people with mental and physical disabilities.

Children who do not attend a NSLP/SBP school, such as students who are homeschooled or attend a private schools, must be between the ages of 8 and 18 to be eligible for Summer EBT. They must also participate in government assistance such as SNAP or TANF. This age guideline includes children who ‘age in’ or ‘age out’ during the year. For the 2024 Summer EBT season, for example, eligible children had to be between the ages of 8 and 18 at some point between July 1, 2023 through August 31st, 2024.

No! There is no citizenship requirement for this program, and Summer EBT is not included in “public charge” tests. Receiving Summer EBT will not affect your family’s ability to remain in the United States, get a Green Card, or become U.S. Citizens.

Children who are enrolled in a qualifying public assistance program (e.g. SNAP, TANF) do not need to meet any additional income requirements.

Similarly, children who are certified to receive free and reduced price school meals do not need to meet any additional income requirements.

Note: these income limits will increase on July 1, 2025. Eligibility will be determined based on income limits at the date of application.

Maybe! Use our screening tool to learn whether you will need to apply.

If your child participates in SNAP, TANF, or other qualifying assistance programs, they will be automatically enrolled and you do not need to submit an application for Summer EBT.

Similarly, if your child is already qualified to receive free or reduced price meals at school, they will be automatically enrolled and you do not need to submit a Summer EBT application.

If neither of these apply to your child but you believe they are eligible, you will need to submit a Summer EBT application. The application will be available during the summer.

Reminder: Summer EBT eligibility is determined individually by child. If your household has multiple children with different circumstances, you may need to submit an application for one but not another.

You can call the Summer EBT Contact Center year-round at (855) 306-8959 between 8am and 5pm, Monday-Friday.

You will receive an approval letter in the mail about 7-10 business days before your Summer EBT card arrives. This letter will also be printed with the issuance date for the Summer EBT benefits. Benefits expire 122 days from this date.

Yes! You can use Summer EBT and SNAP together when shopping for food. Make sure to use your Summer EBT benefits first, however, because these expire more quickly than SNAP dollars.

Additionally, each card qualifies for Fruit and Vegetable Incentives programs and you can use both SNAP and Summer EBT benefits for programs.

Summer EBT Benefits

After a child is confirmed as eligible, their Summer EBT card will be loaded with a $120 benefit. Newly eligible children will receive their Summer EBT card by mail. These cards can be used to buy groceries at any retailer that accepts SNAP (Basic Food).

Summer EBT expires four months from the issuance date. Families have 122 days to use the funds before they become invalid. To maximize benefits, families should use Summer EBT before other resources like SNAP (Basic Food/EBT).

Eligble at Kentucky Farmer’s Markets

In Kentucky, Summer EBT benefits can be used at farmers markets that accept SNAP. You can also use SNAP benefits at these markets through Kentucky Double Dollars.

How to use Summer EBT at farmers markets

  1. Swipe your Summer EBT card at the market information booth or
  2. Use your benefits to purchase fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods

For Schools & Partners
Outreach & Promotional Tools

No Kid
Hungry Toolkits

USDA Outreach
Toolkits

Feeding KY/ No Kid Hungry

About Feeding Kentucky

Feeding Kentucky is the state’s largest charitable response to hunger, working collectively to create a hunger-free Kentucky. Our network of seven Feeding America food banks provides food and groceries to Kentuckians facing hunger in all 120 counties. Through more than 900 partner food pantries and meal programs, we reach an estimated 1 in 7 Kentuckians each year. We focus on addressing child hunger, sourcing food from our Kentucky farmers, and advocating for policies that reflect the needs of our neighbors. Guided by our vision, we want all people in Kentucky to have access to enough food to thrive.