With the primary goal of combating hunger and child malnutrition during the summer months when school activities cease, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is implementing a federal initiative that will help thousands of American families.
During the school year, children receive healthy and nutritious meals either for free or at very low costs through the School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program.
However, during the summer period, with the closure of educational activities, many households are financially strained by the inability to fully cover family food expenses.
The government’s solution to these problems is to provide financial incentives to households with school-aged children, similar to the Summer Food Service Program in Chicago, Illinois, through the monetary grant of Summer EBT.
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Who Is Eligible for This Summer Economic Incentive Program?
The children eligible for the summer SNAP program are as follows:
- Children living in a household with an income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level for the 2023-2024 school year.
- Children in households already enrolled in SNAP or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
- Children participating in the Head Start program, administered by the school district and aimed at low-income families according to the federal poverty level.
- Children receiving free meals at their schools.
For these cases, eligibility is automatic; however, a direct application for enrollment can be made by contacting the child’s school district or through the following phone number: 1-866-348-6479.
What Is the Amount of the Food Assistance Benefit for Children?
Beneficiaries will receive up to $40 per eligible child, with the benefit provided for the months of July and August of the current year. However, the Summer EBT program in Chicago includes a total payment of $120, as it also covers the month of June.
Which States Will Receive This Extra Summer SNAP Benefit?
Although there is no comprehensive list of all states where the program will be implemented, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which leads SNAP, confirms that the following states will benefit:
- Arizona
- California
- North Carolina
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- North Dakota
- Hawaii
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- Ohio
- Missouri
- Montana
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Utah
The states excluded from receiving SNAP benefits are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Vermont
- Wyoming
What Can I Purchase with This Extra Summer SNAP Benefit?
With the funds received directly on EBT cards, beneficiary families can buy healthy and nutritious foods, including fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, fish, dairy products, bread, cereals, non-alcoholic beverages, as well as seeds and plants that produce food for home consumption.
Purchasing certain products with this funding is prohibited, such as alcoholic beverages, medicines, supplements, foods for immediate consumption at fast food locations, pet food, cleaning items, household goods, beauty products, and anything unrelated to the fundamental purpose of the summer food assistance program.
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