Oregon is one of 35 states in which the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is launching a new, permanent summer grocery benefits program for children—known as Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer—in summer 2024. Through the new program, states will provide families with $120 per eligible child for the summer to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets or other authorized retailers—similar to how SNAP benefits are used.
“Summer grocery benefits are becoming a reality for many communities across the nation and for tens of millions of children who will receive the nutrition they need to grow, learn and thrive,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We applaud all the leaders and partners who are stepping up to make the program’s inaugural year a success. Together we’re making progress in closing the summer hunger gap and ensuring children are nourished and healthy year-round.”
Summer EBT benefits start in June and for families already receiving SNAP, TNAF or OHP, the $120 will be loaded onto their EBT card. Summer EBT is one of three key mechanisms the USDA is now using to tackle child hunger during the summer months. Families are encouraged to participate in all summer nutrition programs available to them. Summer meal sites provide free meals to families across the country, and many rural communities now offer to-go or home-delivered summer meals to increase access to this vital nutrition support.
In Oregon, it is estimated that nearly 300,000 children will be eligible for Summer EBT, a total benefit of approximately $35 million. The USDA based their estimates on the 2022-2023 school year of state-reported data.
Rigorous evaluations of a multi-year demonstration project showed that providing Summer EBT reduced child hunger and improved diet quality. When kids are food insecure, they may skip meals or eat less because there isn’t enough food to go around. Summer grocery benefits decreased the number of kids with very low food security by about one-third and supported healthier diets featuring more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
“No kid should have to spend their summer hungry, or without nutritious food,” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Torres Small. “Summer EBT is a giant step forward in meeting the needs of our nation’s children and families throughout the year, and especially in the summer months.”