266K Kansas children could get money for food this summer. Does your child qualify?
Kansas is one of 37 states set to launch a new permanent food benefit program this year, which will provide about 21 million children across the U.S. greater access to food this summer.
The program was created to give families $120 per eligible child for groceries throughout the summer, when access to free and reduced-price lunches at school dwindles, according to a January U.S. Department of Agriculture press release.
The state did not opt in to the federal program without some resistance, however. Legislation introduced in February of this year could have prohibited Kansas from participating in the program, but the bill will not move forward through the state legislature, and the program is set to launch soon.
While Kansas has announced its intent to participate in the program, it has yet to be finalized, according to the state Department for Children and Families. More specific information on the program will be released once it’s approved by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, according to Jenalea H. Randall, the interim director of public and government affairs for DCF.
Here’s what we know so far about the 2024 Summer EBT program in Kansas and how to know if your child qualifies.
What is the Summer EBT program?
The permanent summer electronic benefits program was established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.
Thirty-seven states and some U.S. territories, like American Samoa and Guam, and some tribal nations, including the Cherokee and Chickasaw nations, have all opted in to be a part of this year’s program.
Because it is the first year of the program, if states submit a letter of intent but cannot follow through with the program this year, the state will not be penalized. States not scheduled to launch the program this summer will be allowed opportunities to opt-in in later years.
The program’s purpose is to address the need for food for students during summer break when they are not being provided meals at their school.
The summer EBT benefits will be distributed at $40 per child per month on a pre-loaded card. The benefits will work hand in hand with other assistance programs including Women, Infants and Children, commonly referred to as WIC, and SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
According to the USDA, the benefits can either be issued on families’ existing benefit cards or cards specifically issued for the Summer EBT program.
Does my child qualify for summer food assistance?
A child has to be enrolled in a National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program-participating school to qualify for the program. Children receiving other benefits, like SNAP and WIC, could also be eligible.
According to the Kansas Department of Education, the state has around 1,700 schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and more than 1,400 schools using the School Breakfast Program.
The USDA estimates 266,000 Kansas children could qualify for the summer EBT program this year, reaching an estimated $31.92 million in benefits.
According to DCF, the department will auto-issue benefits starting mid-summer to students ages 7 to 17 receiving food assistance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or in foster care and students matched through an interface with the Kansas Department of Education.
Afterward, the department will release an application for families not automatically enrolled, which will be available for four weeks.
You can find more information on the program, including a FAQ sheet, on the USDA’s website.
This story was originally published March 26, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
