Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT) will officially launch in summer 2024. Summer EBT was established as a permanent program when P-EBT ended in 2023.Summer EBT provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer.
Summer EBT cards will be mailed in relatively unmarked envelopes, so make sure not to throw them out.
Eligible families should expect to receive cards in the mail by the end of June 2024.
NEW CARDS will be mailed to each eligible child.
Benefits will NOT go on SNAP EBT or old P-EBT cards.
Eligible families will receive a one-time payment of $120 per child to be spent on food at participating SNAP EBT stores.
Benefits must be spent within 122 days , before the benefits expire. Please use the card as soon as it’s received!
To receive status updates, see when to expect benefits, get reminders, and learn where to view your benefit amounts, sign up for text message updates through the Parent Portal.
You can check your Summer EBT card balance online at www.connectebt.com or by calling 888-997-9444
See below for an image of what the cards will look like
Your child was in a household receiving SNAP, TANF (Families First), or TennCare during the 2023-24 school year, OR
Your child received free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2023-24 school year because you filled out an NSLP application and were approved for the program.
Your child attends a school where all kids eat for free under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) AND you do not receive SNAP, TANF, or TennCare.
They attended a NSLP participating school and are not directly certified and also do not have an approved NSLP application on file.
Complete and submit the application. Approval will be based on income guidelines.
If you need to apply and can't access the parent portal, you can call TDHS to apply by phone at 1-833-772-TDHS (8347). There is no paper application.
For more information visit theDHS Summer EBT websiteor call One DHS Customer Service at 833-772-8347.
See theofficial Press Releasefrom DHS for more details.
Tennessee has opted into the program for 2024, which will support families struggling with hunger during the summer months.Tennessee has approximately 644,000 children who would be eligible to receive the Summer EBT benefit in summer 2024. However, the State of Tennessee has said that the program will not be adopted in 2025 and beyond.
Join theSummer EBT Alert Group(formerly P-EBT) to learn more and stay tuned for action to bring Summer EBT to TN in 2025.
Help convince decision-makers to permanently adopt this program by sharing your story!
How have previous rounds of P-EBT helped you feed your family?
What benefits do you see from a program like Summer EBT?
How are you planning to use your Summer EBT benefits this summer?
How would not having Summer EBT negatively impact your family?
Please share your story. Let's make sure TN adopts Summer EBT permanently!
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