Summer EBT finally heading to households this month

(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Thousands of children in Nevada will automatically receive a retroactive one-time payment of $120 this month, thanks to a popular free food program designed to cover kids during summer vacation.

Officials for the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) announced Nevada families eligible for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program will start receiving the food benefit starting next week.

Payments will be distributed in one lump sum to eligible households with children from Pre-K through the 12th grade. State health officials estimate 350,000 children in Nevada will benefit from the program.

Households with children eligible for the free and reduced lunch program will automatically receive their benefits in the first round of payments in mid-September on existing EBT cards for families that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

Eligible households that do not have an existing EBT card should receive a pre-loaded Summer EBT card by mail in mid-October. Summer EBT cards will be mailed to the last known address the parent or guardian provided when enrolling their child in school.

“The rules for the program are complex,” DWSS Deputy Administrator, Kelly Cantrelle said. “However, families with children will benefit from these additional funds by supplementing school lunches or providing after-school snacks. Our team is here to help families navigate through the process and answer any questions they may have.”

Summer EBT is the first federal nutrition program passed by Congress in decades. Congress passed bipartisan legislation in late 2022, making Summer EBT permanent for states that opt-in. The program provides families with $40 each summer month per eligible child to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, or other authorized retailers.

The summer program benefits couldn’t be delivered during the summer months due to state funding-related administrative delays.

In order to qualify for the S-EBT program, children must live in a low-income household , a change from previous pandemic benefits. Families can check to see if their child was automatically enrolled into the program through an online portal at Access Nevada . The portal will be available mid-September when the first round of benefits are issued.

A dedicated call center phone line is available in Northern Nevada at 1-775-684-8740,  and Southern Nevada at 1-702-486-9640. A FAQ page has been added to the DWSS website to assist families with questions about the program. An application will be available online Sept. 20, 2024, for families that did not meet the automatic eligibility criteria and would like to apply.

Families struggling with food insecurity are encouraged to apply for SNAP by visiting Access Nevada.

Additional food resources can be found at Nevada 211.