More than 1M Illinois children eligible for new summer food benefit. Here’s who qualifies

Meredith Howard
·3 min read

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new electronic benefits transfer program for children to access food over summer break, and Illinois will be participating.

The USDA estimates 1,145,000 children in Illinois will be eligible to receive the benefit.

Most children who will be eligible for the program in the state will have streamlined access and will not have to apply, Illinois Department of Human Services spokesperson Rachel Otwell said in a Feb. 22 email to the News-Democrat. An application will be available for families meeting certain requirements.

Here’s what to know about accessing the new summer EBT program in Illinois and how much you could receive per child.

Summer EBT in Illinois

Children must be income-eligible for free/reduced price meals at school to qualify for summer EBT, Otwell said. Eligibility information for free/reduced meals is available online from the Illinois State Board of Education and depends on household size.

A child must meet one of the following requirements to be eligible for summer EBT without submitting an application:

  • “The child’s date of birth is between July 2, 2005 and August 31, 2018 AND they received SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program], TANF [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families], State Food, VTTC Cash (TANF), Foster Care or Medicaid (income under 185% of the federal poverty level]) any time between July 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024,” or

  • “The child attended a school that participated in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2023-2024 school year and was deemed income-eligible to receive a free or reduced-price lunch through direct certification or an application at the school.”

The summer EBT benefit amount will be a one-time, $120 sum per eligible child in Illinois. You will receive a card in the mail if your child is automatically eligible or has applied and been deemed eligible. Officials recommend you double-check the mailing address your school has on file is up-to-date.

Families will need to complete a summer EBT application if their children:

  • Attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program, and

  • Were not eligible for direct certification for free/reduced-price meals, which means they did not receive SNAP, TANF or Medicaid for any month during the school year, and

  • Do not already have an approved application on file with their NSLP school for the current school year for free/reduced price meals or alternative low-income verification.

The income for Medicaid must be at or under 185% of the federal poverty level to be eligible for direct certification, Otwell added.

People who believe their child will qualify for summer EBT but need to apply can reach out to school officials about accessing an application. Applications will be available throughout the summer for families who have not already applied by the end of the school year.

Existing summer meal programs in Illinois served more than 3.3 million meals in 2023, according to a Jan. 31 press release from the Illinois State Board of Education.

For help accessing meals during the summer, families can contact their school, call 800-359-216, text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304 or use the USDA’s online map to locate food services. The hotline is operated by the Illinois State Board of Education in partnership with the Illinois Hunger Coalition and No Kid Hungry, Otwell said.

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