Overview

Beginning in 2024, New York State will launch Summer EBT, a new program that provides low-income families with food benefits to help buy groceries during the summer when kids might not have access to school meals. Most eligible children will receive Summer EBT food benefits automatically; however, some families may need to apply.

This website will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

Eligibility

Automatically Eligible

To receive Summer EBT food benefits automatically:

• A child must receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or Temporary Assistance (cash) benefits, or be directly certified for free meals through Medicaid, OR
• A child must be determined eligible for free/reduced price school meals through the National School Lunch Program by their school.*

These children will receive benefits automatically and DO NOT need to apply. Most eligible children will receive their benefits this way.

*Attending a school that offers free meals to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), is not enough to qualify your child for Summer EBT. Only children who are automatically eligible or eligible though an application can receive Summer EBT food benefits.

Must Apply

Some children who are not automatically eligible may be able to receive Summer EBT food benefits by completing an application. To be eligible through an application:

• A child must attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), AND
• The household's income must be at or below the limits for eligibility for free/reduced price school meals (185% federal poverty level). See, “How to Apply” for more information.

* Summer EBT Income Eligibility Guidelines July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

Benefits

Each eligible child will receive $120 in Summer EBT food benefits in 2024.

Summer EBT benefits can be used just like SNAP benefits to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other SNAP-authorized retailers.

Summer EBT food benefits will begin to be issued this summer. Eligible children will receive benefits at different times, depending on whether they attend public or private school, and whether they receive benefits automatically or are determined eligible through a Summer EBT application.

Eligible children who attend public school and are automatically eligible will receive benefits first. A letter will be mailed to eligible households shortly before benefits are issued. These letters will be sent throughout the summer.

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance may also use text messages (text messages will come from code 696832 NY-OTDA) letting you know your child's benefits have been issued.

Summer EBT food benefits will remain available and accessible on your Summer EBT food benefits card for 122 days after the date they were issued. All unused benefits are removed from the card after this time. Be sure to use your benefits soon after you receive them.

How to Apply

Most households do not need to apply for Summer EBT food benefits because the child is already eligible and will receive benefits automatically.

Some children who are not automatically eligible may be able to receive Summer EBT food benefits by completing an application.

The application will be available on this web page beginning July 1, 2024.

To be eligible through an application:

• The child must attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), AND
• The household's income must be at or below the limits for eligibility for free/reduced price school meals.

Families will only need to complete one application for all children in the household. This application should be completed by a parent/guardian for the children.

Application checklist:

The information you need to complete an application includes:

• An NY.gov ID account is required to complete the application. If you do not have a NY.Gov ID, you need to create a NY.gov ID before you apply.
  • You will need to create a user ID and password.
    • For both of these, you should choose something that's easy for you to remember but hard for other people to guess.
• Name of each child applying for Summer EBT benefits,
  • their date of birth, and
  • the name of the school they attend.
• Child's Student Identification System (NYSSIS) ID number and/or local student ID number (these numbers are optional, but helpful to include).
• Information about whether the child participates in SNAP, Temporary (cash) Assistance, Medicaid, or other programs (if your child participated in any of these programs in the 2023-24 school year, you may not need to apply).
• Names of all other people (other than the children applying for benefits) in the household.
• Income information for each person in the household,
  • including amount and
  • how often each person receives income.
• Current address, phone number, and email address.
• Agree that all information is accurate, electronically sign the application, and submit.

You will not need to provide any documentation to apply. Some families may be asked to provide proof of income later.

Application Status

Once an application is submitted, OTDA will contact you by email, letting you know:

• That your application has been received.
• When your child application has been processed — (Processing will be in late August or September, depending on when you applied). This notice will also tell you if the application is approved or denied, and how the child is receiving their benefits (on an existing P-EBT card or a new Summer EBT card).

Summer EBT Food Benefits Cards

Every child should have their own EBT card to access Summer EBT benefits. Some children will receive benefits on an existing P-EBT card, and some will receive a new Summer EBT card in the mail.

For the purposes of Summer EBT, both P-EBT food benefits cards and Summer EBT food benefits cards work the same. The card that is used to access Summer EBT food benefits will become your child's permanent Summer EBT card for each year that your child is eligible to receive benefits. Please keep it in a safe place.

Summer EBT food benefits are issued to eligible children in the following ways:

• Children who successfully used Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) food benefits in the past year will receive their Summer EBT food benefits on the same P-EBT food benefits card.
• All other children will be mailed a new Summer EBT food benefits card.
  • This includes children who received P-EBT food benefits on their household's SNAP or Temporary Assistance (cash) EBT card because Summer EBT benefits will no longer be issued to a household's SNAP/TA EBT card.

Families who are automatically eligible will receive a letter this summer letting them know that their child will receive benefits automatically and how they will receive their benefits (existing P-EBT card or new Summer EBT card).

• View instructions on ordering a replacement card
• View instructions to activate card/set up PIN

Summer EBT food benefits will remain available and accessible on your Summer EBT food benefits card for 122 days after the date they were issued. All unused benefits are removed from the card after this time. Be sure to use your benefits soon after you receive them.

Summer EBT cardholders can use the new ebtEDGE online client portal to manage their EBT card online. Visit www.ebtEDGE.com and follow link to “Cardholder Portal” to get started. You can also download the ebtEDGE mobile app (available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store). The online client portal and app are easy ways to check your Summer EBT benefits deposit and card balance without having to contact the Summer EBT customer service center

Protect your benefits from theft by following these important tips. You can also use the ebtEdge website or app to freeze and unfreeze the EBT card between purchases. Summer EBT benefits cannot be replaced if stolen.

Contact

Summer EBT Customer Service Call Center:
1-833-452-0096
Automated information available 24/7

Agent support available*:
Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Beginning June 24*:
Monday through Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday - 9am to 3pm

*Agents will NOT be able to answer any child-specific eligibility questions until early July. Until then, general program information will be available.