August 2, 2024

When schools close for summer, millions of children lose access to nutritious school meals. While traditional summer meals programs support children’s health and learning, barriers such as transportation, location, and availability, prevent many students from participating, causing a spike in summer hunger. That’s where the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) Program steps in. 

With summer 2024 in full swing, Summer EBT is in its second month of operation in over 30 states, territories, and Indian Tribal Organizations. Hundreds of thousands of children across the U.S. have already received $120 in grocery benefits to help fight summer hunger, and hundreds of thousands more will receive the benefit in the coming weeks as states continue to roll out their programs.  

While we do not yet have nationwide data on Summer EBT Program issuance and redemption, some states have been reporting participation numbers to stakeholders in real time. In states that have already issued benefits it appears that many are seeing high numbers of children being streamline–certified (meaning that they are found eligible and automatically issued benefits without the need of an application). For example: 

  • Wisconsin’s first issuance of Summer EBT to streamline-certified children reached about 94 percent of all children the state estimated to be eligible; and 
  • Nebraska was also able to reach 74 percent of all estimated eligible children in their first issuance to streamline-certified children.  

In some states, the streamline certification success has resulted in the need for states to return to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase their expected benefit issuance award amount, as the state underestimated the number of eligible children they would be able to reach.  

States are also reporting high rates of Summer EBT redemption. In a single day, Arizona saw $700,000 in new benefit redemption, not counting what had been spent from the previous month’s issuance. High redemption rates are particularly important in the Summer EBT Program, as families only have 122 days from issuance to spend their benefits. States such as Colorado are already preparing to send out notices to families that have unspent benefits before those benefits expire.  

Additionally, national efforts to raise awareness and help families access the program have been widely used. A coalition of national partners, including the Food Research & Action Center led by the Albertson’s foundation, has created SummerEBT.org, a website where families can check whether their state is participating and go through a screener to see if they are automatically eligible or need to apply. This website has already drawn over 100,000 visitors with approximately 3,000 visiting each day.  

While this program’s rollout has experienced administrative and outreach challenges for both states and families, it is important that we celebrate the successes that result in families receiving this much-needed benefit. The Summer EBT Program has already shown that it is needed by families, through both participation and redemption rates; while states have demonstrated how comprehensive outreach and communication plans, coupled with strong certification systems, contribute to Summer EBT’s success.  

Unfortunately, 13 states elected not to participate in Summer EBT this summer, leaving federal benefits on the table and limiting children’s access to nutritious food. With the early success of the program in implementing states, now is the time to push these states to implement in 2025 by calling on your Governor to adopt Summer EBT.    

To find out more about Summer EBT, visit FRAC’s website dedicated to the program.