Latest news with #SummerEBT
Newsweek
a day ago
- General
- Newsweek
SNAP Summer EBT Payments: 16 States To Pay in June
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millions of Americans with school-age children will begin receiving extra food benefits in June. Why It Matters The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program—known as Summer EBT or SUN Bucks—offers families $120 per eligible school-age child to help those with low and no income purchase groceries during the summer when school is out. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projected the program would serve 21 million children across the U.S., distributing approximately $2.5 billion in benefits across 35 states, five U.S. territories, and four tribal nations. Most recipients are already part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Summer EBT Payments in June Altogether, this year 37 states, the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories will be participating in the program in 2025. Depending on your state, Summer EBT or SUN Bucks benefits will be paid in one of the following ways: Directly onto your existing SNAP EBT card, Added to your Summer EBT card from last year, Issued on a new Summer EBT card, which will be mailed to beneficiaries. According to fintech app Propel, the following states will begin Summer EBT payments in June: Alabama District of Columbia California Kentucky Maine Maryland Michigan Minnesota Missouri New Jersey New York Oregon Rhode Island Utah Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Funds can be used to buy any food items permitted under SNAP guidelines, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, meat, and poultry. However, benefits cannot be used for non-food items like cleaning products, alcohol or hot prepared meals. Stock image/file photo: Mother and son with bags of groceries. Stock image/file photo: Mother and son with bags of groceries. GETTY Who Is Eligible for Summer EBT? Children are automatically eligible for Summer EBT if they participate in certain government assistance programs or receive free or reduced-price school meals. Eligibility includes: Children in households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, or Medicaid (in states that participate). Students who attend schools that offer the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program and meet income eligibility guidelines. Most qualifying families will receive benefits automatically. Those who are not auto-enrolled but believe they are eligible can apply through their state's Summer EBT portal. Summer EBT benefits expire 122 days from the date they are paid, so families are encouraged to use them promptly. Summer EBT 2025 will not be available in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma (aside from Tribal Nations), South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming. Further Payment Dates Other states will begin paying out later in the year, with most benefits going out in July. Some states have already begun payments. The following states will send out benefits in July:
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Babies and Young American Children Suffer As US Lags In Family Support
The United States has one of the highest child poverty rates among all developed countries. One in six American children under the age of 5 live in poverty, a higher rate than for any other age group. In 2022, the U.S. ranked at 38 out of 40 countries, bested not just by countries known for robust safety nets like Finland and Denmark but also Slovenia, Russia and Mexico. The reality of such a high poverty rate among the youngest and most vulnerable Americans is the result of policy choices. Research has found that it's not because the U.S. has higher rates of single parenthood or because low-income Americans don't work hard enough for a decent income. Instead, where other countries make robust investments in government programs, particularly those that benefit parents and children, the U.S. spends far less. And yet poverty has been found to have catastrophic effects on children's development and well-being. The stories below expose the result of this disinclination to invest in families with babies and young children — as well as what happens when efforts to do things differently are abruptly abandoned. homelessnessHousing instability can affect children's cognitive and emotional development and ultimately their academic success. Housing instability can affect children's cognitive and emotional development and ultimately their academic success. Various data sources all illuminate the same trend: homelessness among children under age 6 has been climbing in recent years, driven by a mix of systemic factors, with disturbing consequences for the country's children. school meals During the pandemic, universal, free school meals were a lifesaver for parents like Lynnea Hawkins, who no longer had to pull together complicated paperwork and send it in with her son, making him a target for torment. But then Congress ended the program, forcing parents to once again face shame and stigma to participate — or forego free meals for their children altogether. child hungerThe first federal food assistance program in decades helps eligible families cover groceries in the summer, but many dollars may go unclaimed. The first federal food assistance program in decades helps eligible families cover groceries in the summer, but many dollars may go unclaimed. Even when Congress passes a new program aimed at helping families afford the basics for their children, it doesn't always reach them. Erika Marquez's family was eligible for the new Summer EBT benefits rolled out in 2024 to help parents get through the lean summer months, but her husband couldn't figure out how to sign up, so they missed out. 'It's just hard when you hear your child say, 'Mom, my stomach is rumbling,'' she said. policy Even long-established programs with solid track records aren't always safe. At the end of 2023, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, needed more money to stay available to all low-income pregnant people and new parents, but Republicans threatened to break a 25-year track record of fully funding it. inflationDiaper need increases dramatically as pandemic-era programs end and inflation rises Diaper need increases dramatically as pandemic-era programs end and inflation rises The often threadbare American safety net leads to some disturbing outcomes, such as the fact that nearly half of our nation's families are struggling to afford diapers. Some change their children less often than they should to make the diapers they do have last, while others go without diapers at all. ConnecticutBaby bonds can help tackle generational poverty in low-income families. Baby bonds can help tackle generational poverty in low-income families. Some states have taken bold steps to do more to address child poverty. In 2021, Connecticut became the first state to create 'baby bonds,' depositing $3,200 in an account for every baby whose birth is covered by Medicaid so that it can accrue interest and create wealth for them later in life.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State: insufficient planning, funding pauses summer meals program
Officials with the Braun administration pointed to Gov. Eric Holcomb as the reason Indiana opted out of a student summer meals program. (Getty Images) Indiana Gov. Mike Braun's second-in-command, along with a key executive branch agency, pointed to a lack of planning under Gov. Eric Holcomb's administration as the reason hungry Hoosier schoolchildren won't be able to use a summer meals program. 'The previous administration did not file for SUN Bucks in the way they should have,' Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith told a crowd at a Zionsville town hall on Tuesday. 'I'm working with Gov. Braun to get those SUN Bucks dollars back.' 'A giant leap backwards': Indiana opts out of summer program for hungry schoolchildren That 'lapse,' along with other perceived failures of Holcomb, were part of what propelled the duo into office, Beckwith continued. Last year, 669,000 Hoosier children who qualified for food benefits and reduced-price school meals got an additional $120 while schools were closed for the summer, for a total of roughly $80 million. But Indiana opted out of the program this year, saying that Holcomb's administration hadn't done the legwork in advance of 2025. Oversight costs for the program would be roughly $3.7 million for the state, according to the administration, a tough sell following the state's projected $2 billion revenue shortfall earlier this year. In response, budget writers trimmed nearly every agency by 5% and sharply cut into economic development and public health programs. 'The successful implementation of the SUN Bucks program required early planning and strategic coordination to launch in Summer 2025. To ensure a timely rollout, the Division of Family Resources (DFR) needed clear direction from state leadership during late summer to early fall of 2024, during the prior administration,' Marcus Barlow told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Barlow is the deputy chief of staff and director of the office of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs for the Family and Social Services Administration, which administers the program alongside the Department of Education. He said 'due to the complexity of procurement processes and system enhancements,' the Holcomb administration should have done the following before 2025, which is when Braun took office: Finalize contract amendments with the Electronic Benefit Transfer processor to allocate funding for Summer EBT Secure a system vendor to support technical enhancements and application processing for 2025 Summer EBT, or S-EBT, is the official name for the SUN Bucks program. The Food and Nutrition Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, handles the program at the federal level. It's unclear what changed between the program's administration in 2024 and 2025 that necessitated such changes. In response to a follow-up question, Barlow noted that 'since that prior administration didn't move forward, no decisions were made regarding whether or not to use the same vendor.' 'Upon taking office, this administration quickly submitted a waiver application to the Food and Nutrition Service to explore all possible avenues for launching the program this summer. However, our review revealed that the gaps in prior preparations prevented implementation in time for Summer 2025,' Barlow said. That waiver application, dated for March 2025, appeared to indicate that the state was moving forward with the program and would be submitting a Plan for Operations and Management for approval under Braun's administration. However, Barlow didn't respond to further questions about that plan and whether it was submitted or approved, saying the Indiana Capital Chronicle would need to submit a records request for the document. The federal government also declined to share a copy of Indiana's plan or comment on whether it was submitted or approved. 'USDA Secretary (Brooke) Rollins believes in empowering states to tailor programs and policies to their specific circumstances, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach. She recognizes that states are best equipped to understand their own populations and encourages them to explore innovative ideas to address their unique needs. Under Secretary Rollins, USDA is committed to engaging with Indiana to find bold and sustainable solutions that support and protect both participants and taxpayers,' a USDA spokesperson said. Barlow pointed to existing resources under the USDA's Site Finder Map and the Hunger Hotline for families to connect to food resources. The hotline is accessible Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) for English speakers or at 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) for Spanish speakers. CONTACT US At the Tuesday town hall, the devout Beckwith continued on the topic of summer meals by saying that the state should 'take advantage' of the federal money being offered. 'We should go after that federal money,' Beckwith said to cheers. 'It's just going to go to a different state.' Additionally, the Noblesville pastor asked the faith community to step up in place of the state to 'be the hands and feet of Christ in these communities' this summer. 'I don't think the state is equipped to do it as well as nonprofits,' Beckwith concluded. '… It's a nonprofit's (and) faith community's job to do it. They can do it better than the state (and) far more efficiently.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
MDHHS helps families stay fed with SUN Bucks
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)– The , also known as SUN Bucks, is back, and according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, it is to ensure children will have access to nutritious food while school is out. that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service approved Michigan's Summer EBT program to assist low-income families feed kids during the summer. MDHHS officials say families who already have a Bridge card will have a one-time payment of $120 per eligible child added to their existing card. People who don't have a Bridge card will get a pre-loaded one in the mail. If benefits are unused, they will expire and not be reinstated. Children who are eligible according to MDHHS: Children aged 6 to 18 who are recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Medicaid benefits between July 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025, will be automatically enrolled. Medicaid recipients' income must be at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. Students of any age certified as eligible to receive free or reduced-priced lunch through the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. Approved through the summer EBT application process. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer explains how proud of the Summer EBT program in a news release sent to 6 News. 'Summer is here, but hunger isn't going anywhere,' said Governor Whitmer. 'I'm proud that we're continuing our successful Summer EBT program so no child goes hungry between school years. I'm proud of the work we've done to tackle hunger, including our work to deliver free breakfast and lunch to all 1.4 million public school students, saving their parents nearly $900 a year in groceries and time every morning. While folks in DC keep trying to find ways to cut health care for Michiganders and food benefits for hungry families, here in Michigan we will keep taking action to make a real difference in their lives.' According to Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, kids who don't have access to healthy food during the summer are at risk of malnutrition. 'Michigan children and their families shouldn't have to worry about going hungry over summer break,' said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. 'Summer break is a time when many children lose access to the reliable meals they receive at school, placing them at risk of hunger and malnutrition. The Summer EBT Program, in addition to our other nutrition assistance programs, like WIC and SNAP, helps us close the summer hunger gap by providing every eligible child with nutritious food, addressing one of the key social determinants of health, food insecurity.' To apply to the Summer EBT program, . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Low-income Michigan families with school-age children to get Summer EBT food assistance
A program called Summer EBT that provides additional grocery funds during the summer on behalf of low-income school-age children is continuing this year in Michigan. Many of the families that are eligible should have already received a letter, and possibly also the funds deposited to their Michigan Bridge card accounts. This step was possible because the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service approved a plan submitted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Department of Education. "Michigan children and their families shouldn't have to worry about going hungry over summer break," health services director Elizabeth Hertel said in her statement. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, also called SUN Bucks, is aimed toward children age 6 to 18 who normally are eligible for free or reduced-prices meals during the school day through the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program. The concept started as a pilot program in some areas in 2011 and was part of the federal government's emergency response in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Michigan began participating in the current form of Summer EBT in 2024. Those who are in homes where the family were recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) have been automatically added to the 2025 Summer EBT. Medicaid recipients also are eligible if their income is at or below 185% of federal poverty level for their household size. For a Michigan family of three, the annual income cutoff on that chart is $47,767. Families who already have a Bridge card will see a one-time payment of $120 per eligible child, the standard benefit amount set by the USDA for the 2025 program year, added to their existing card. Those who don't already have a Bridge card will be sent a card in the mail. The funds can be used before the end-of-summer expiration date at any store or farmer's market that accepts EBT for payment, including some online retailers. Other state-supported programs aimed at feeding children during the summer include Meet Up and Eat Up / Summer Food Service and Meals to Go / Rural Non-Congregate Summer Food Service Program. Availability for those programs will vary by location.
