Latest news with #SummerElectronicBenefitTransfer
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Eligible families to receive $120 per child in food aid as schools close for summer
What the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services calls 'Sun Bucks' will be given to eligible Ohio children throughout the month of June. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Matt Damschroder announced the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Program for Children will provide family assistance this summer, according to a media release. 'Sun Bucks' will be distributed to eligible children throughout June. Last year, ODJFS gave $144 million in food assistance to over 1.2 million Ohio children, according to the release. TRENDING STORIES: City says arbitrator ignored 'simply obvious dangers' by reinstating fired police sergeant FBI investigation blocks off Ohio neighborhood 6-year-old hit, killed by car in Harrison Township The federal program assists eligible families with school-aged children while schools are closed for the summer. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce administers this program as a partner of ODJFS. 'Whether it's during the school year or the summer months, Ohio is focused on student wellness to ensure children are nourished and ready to learn, grow, and achieve,' Director of Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Stephen Dackin said. Eligible families will receive $120 for each school-age child over the next month, according to the release. 'Sun Bucks helps to reduce the lack of access to nutritious food for children over the summer and promotes the importance of nutrition and healthy meals,' Dackin said. Families on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), cash assistance (Ohio Works First), and who are income-eligible and receiving Medicaid benefits will automatically receive the Summer EBT benefits, according to the release. Families who receive SNAP benefits can expect the money to be loaded onto their Ohio Direction Card. Those who received 2024 summer benefits will have 2025 benefits loaded onto their existing card, while new recipients will receive a benefit card by mail, according to the release. The money can be used to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other authorized retailers. Families not automatically eligible can learn more about the application process at [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
CBS News
27-05-2025
- 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.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nevada families to receive $120 summer grocery aid per eligible child
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — With summer break on the horizon and school cafeterias closing their doors, thousands of Nevada families are set to receive much-needed food assistance. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (S-EBT) program will give each qualifying student $120 to help families buy groceries over the summer months. 'Programs like Summer EBT are essential for reducing childhood hunger,' Kelly Cantrelle, Deputy Administrator at the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, said. 'Even a small amount of extra grocery support can ease the burden for working families during the summer months.' DWSS expects as many as 280,000 Nevada children to qualify for benefits automatically this year, based on current enrollment in school meal programs and public assistance. Families who meet federal guidelines do not need to apply, benefits will be distributed automatically. Households that received Summer EBT in 2024 will get this year's benefits on the same card, as long as their school information has not changed. Families new to the program or those with updated school records should expect a new card to arrive by mail within two to three weeks. In 2024, the program distributed $37 million in grocery support across Nevada, with nearly 80% of those benefits used, highlighting the need for continued summer food assistance. The deadline to apply is Aug. 10. For more information or to check eligibility, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
15-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
SNAP Benefits Map Shows States Giving Out $120 Boost Per Child
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 families across the U.S. will receive a one-off $120 per child grocery boost this summer under a federal program designed to replace free meals while schools are out of session. Why It Matters The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program—also known as Summer EBT or SUN Bucks—provides $120 per eligible child to help low-income families afford groceries over the summer months when school meals are not available. In 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated the program would reach 21 million children, distributing about $2.5 billion in benefits across 35 states, five U.S. territories, and four tribal nations. What to Know Children are automatically eligible for Summer EBT if they are enrolled in certain government assistance programs or receive free or reduced-price school meals. Eligibility extends to: Children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, or Medicaid (in participating states). Students who attend schools offering the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program and meet income requirements. Most eligible families will receive the benefit automatically. Those who are not auto-enrolled, but believe they qualify, can apply through their state's Summer EBT portal. Like regular SNAP benefits, the program is funded by the federal government. Stock image/file photo: A child looking at products in a grocery store. Stock image/file photo: A child looking at products in a grocery store. GETTY Participating States and Territories In 2025, the Summer EBT program will be implemented in the following 38 U.S. states: Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Hawaii Illinois Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin In addition to these states, all five U.S. territories—American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands—are taking part. Several tribal nations have also opted in, including the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe. Summer EBT 2025 will not be available in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming. When and How Benefits Are Distributed Each eligible child will receive a one-time benefit of $120. These funds are provided on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which work similarly to debit cards and can be used at stores and farmers markets that accept SNAP. Distribution timelines vary by state. Some states begin rollout of benefits in May, while others begin in June. Many distribute the benefit in $40 monthly sums. How the Money Can Be Used Funds can be spent on any food item allowed under SNAP guidelines. This includes fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grains, meat, and poultry, among others. Benefits cannot be used to purchase non-food items such as cleaning supplies, alcohol, or hot prepared meals. What People Are Saying California Governor Gavin Newsom, announcing Summer EBT will be available in the state: "It's absolutely essential that no kid in California go hungry—especially during the summer months when school meals aren't available. We're proud to administer the SUN Bucks program and lead the nation in beating childhood hunger." Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said in 2024: "Federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and don't provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families. An EBT card does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic." What Happens Next Families should check their state's official Summer EBT website for updates, as the date of issuance, card delivery, or automatic account load differs regionally. Summer EBT benefits expire 122 days from the date of issuance, so families are encouraged to use them promptly.
