900K PA children could get EBT money for food this summer. See if your child qualifies
Thirty-five U.S. states, including Pennsylvania, will launch an expanded benefits program this summer to help provide groceries for low-income families with school-aged children.
The initiative, known as the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT), is expected to help feed more than 30 million children across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. The program’s aim is to give children access to nutritious meals while school is not in session during the summer.
As Summer EBT benefits get ready to roll out in Pennsylvania, here’s what you need to know about the program and qualifying for its benefits.
What are Summer EBT benefits?
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 established the new, permanent Summer EBT program set to launch this year. Through the program, school-aged children who are already eligible for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will receive additional access to nutritious food when school is not in session.
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. states are joining the summer benefits program, plus territories like Guam, Puerto Rico and American Samoa. The Cherokee, Chickasaw and Osage nations are also included, alongside the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Federal law establishes the Summer EBT benefits at $40 per month per eligible child for June, July and August. However, Pennsylvania will issue Summer EBT benefits as a single $120 issuance, paid out by Sept. 30.
Summer EBT funds must be used within 122 days from issuance, according to the program’s description. The $40 monthly benefit is expected to be adjusted annually starting in 2025 to keep up with inflation.
The benefits will be available through each family’s existing EBT card, or a new EBT card issued for newly eligible families. Funding through these benefits can be used to purchase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-eligible food at any participating retail store.
Pennsylvania’s 2023-24 budget includes a $46.5 million increase to help provide universal free breakfast to the commonwealth’s 1.7 million public school students. Additional Summer EBT benefits are expected to help Gov. Josh Shapiro and his administration provide aid for Pennsylvania families in need.
“Summer EBT builds upon the work Governor Shapiro and his administration are already doing to address student hunger by securing funding in the 2023-24 budget to provide universal free breakfast for more than one million public school students,” Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh said in a statement. “We are so pleased to offer this program to the students who need it so they can continue to access these meals during the summer months while schools are closed.”
Who is eligible for Summer EBT benefits in Pennsylvania?
Between roughly 600,000 and 900,000 Pennsylvania children will receive automatic enrollment in Summer EBT benefits due to their eligibility for free or reduced-price meals under the NSLP, Pennsylvania officials say.
The following groups of children are expected to be eligible for Summer EBT benefits in Pennsylvania:
- Children who are determined to be eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the NSLP by applying through their school
- Children who are categorically eligible for NSLP because they are foster children, homeless or runaways and attend an NSLP-participating school
- Children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the NSLP through direct certification, which occurs when children receive benefits through SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or have certain medical assistance eligibility
Notably, Pennsylvania children who are eligible through direct certification and between 6 and 17 years old will qualify for Summer EBT benefits even if their school does not participate in NSLP. Additionally, if a child is eligible for direct certification and aged 5 or younger or 18 or older, they will qualify only if they are enrolled in an NSLP-participating school.
Pennsylvania officials expect only a limited number of families will need to apply for Summer EBT benefits since so many eligible children are automatically enrolled.
Summer EBT applications are not yet available, but more information is expected to roll out “in the coming months,” the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services wrote Jan. 10. Eventually, the DHS’ county assistance offices will collect applications and determine program eligibility. Pennsylvania families can also check their eligibility through the myCOMPASS PA app or online through the Pennsylvania DHS COMPASS website.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains a detailed question-and-answer forum regarding the upcoming launch of Summer EBT benefits, available online at fns.usda.gov/sebt/questions-answers.
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