Published February 20, 2026

Take action now if you are in a state that has opted out of the program  

Kelsey Boone, Senior Child Nutrition Policy Analyst 

The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (Summer EBT) is entering its third year, and the window for states to opt in for 2026 has closed. 

Thirty-eight states, Washington D.C., five Indian Tribal Organizations, and all five U.S. territories submitted a notice of intent by the January 1 deadline and are poised to implement Summer EBT this year. This includes Iowa, which will be operating Summer EBT for the first time.  

Twelve states have chosen not to participate in 2026: Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma1, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. This means that approximately 10 million children will miss out on critical nutrition benefits they would otherwise be eligible to receive, and states are leaving over $1.4 billion in benefits on the table.  

When the school year ends, millions of children lose access to the nutritious school meals they  rely on during the academic year. While summer meal sites are intended to support children’s health and learning, barriers such as transportation challenges, hard-to-reach sites, and limited hours often prevent many families from participating. Summer EBT helps fill this gap by providing eligible families with $120 in grocery benefits per child to keep children fed when school is not in session. The program has been shown to reduce food insecurity and improve nutrition during the summer months. Summer EBT can function as a primary source of nutrition support when school is out, and complement meals provided at summer meal sites as families are encouraged to participate in both programs. 

The budget reconciliation law (H.R. 1) enacted in July 2025 delivered historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with far-reaching consequences for child nutrition programs, including Summer EBT. As SNAP benefits are reduced, more children will face hunger, heightening the role of Summer EBT in providing food benefits during the summer when school meals are not available. This makes it critically important that all states participate in Summer EBT. 

Each year, states decide whether they will participate in the program. Many states are currently in legislative session and making decisions about what to fund in 2027. In most states, the decision to operate the program is ultimately made by the governor, however, some state legislatures have introduced bills to require the state to operate the program. For states that have not chosen to operate Summer EBT in 2026, it is vital to make your voice heard. Here are some actions you can take now to urge your state to implement Summer EBT for next year:  

  • Call your state legislators and ask them to support Summer EBT implementation.  
  • Call your governor’s office and urge them to support and adopt the program.  

For more information on how to engage in Summer EBT advocacy campaigns or outreach, see the Food Research & Action Center’s (FRAC) Summer EBT Outreach and Advocacy Toolkit. You can find more examples of state and federal outreach materials in FRAC’s Summer EBT Communications Resource Center. FRAC is always available to support your Summer EBT advocacy efforts. For more information, contact Kelsey Boone at kboone@frac.org.  

To find out more about Summer EBT, visit FRAC’s Summer EBT webpage.