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Oregon Summer EBT

Food benefits for school-aged kids

Summer EBT is a grocery benefits program. It helps families buy food for their school-aged children when school is out. Each summer, families will get one yearly payment of $120 for each eligible child to buy groceries.

Questions? Call us at 833-ORE-SEBT (833-673-7328). You can reach us Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

The 2024 program has ended. Oregon Summer EBT will be back in summer 2025.

Spend your benefits before they expire.

Did your family get Summer EBT in 2024? These benefits expire 122 days after issuance. 

We will send a notice to families with unspent benefits when they are close to expiring.

Get ready for Summer EBT 2025

Moving? Update your mailing address online (choose "Manage My Benefits") or call us at 833-673-7328.

Apply anytime. You can apply online in English and Spanish. Apply in other languages using the paper application. Find out if you need to apply for 2025.

Apply online



Ready to learn more?

Read the FAQ

About Summer EBT

Your school-aged child is eligible for Summer EBT if:

Your family needs to apply if:

  • You were automatically eligible for Summer EBT 2024 because you were participating in one of these programs:
    • SNAP​
    • TANF
    • Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid)
    • Child Welfare Foster Care
  • And you stopped receiving these benefits after July 1, 2024. 

An application will determine if you are eligible based on your household size and income. You can apply anytime​. ​​In May 2025, we'll send you a letter about your child's eligibility.​​​

Your family does not need to apply if:

  • You received Summer EBT in 2024. Your family will automatically be eligible for Summer EBT 2025.​

Summer EBT will be put on an Oregon EBT card (Oregon Trail Card). You can use the card to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets and other places that accept EBT cards.​​​​

If your household already has an Oregon EBT account, the benefits will be added to your existing card. For eligible children who do not already have an Oregon EBT card, one will be mailed to the latest address on file. ​​​​

​​Benefits for children who live in the same household will be put on one Oregon EBT card whenever possible.​​​​

Your family can get help from other summer meal programs too. To find a free meal site near you:​​

Summer EBT does not affect you or your child’s immigration status. The public charge rule does not apply to Summer EBT benefits.

Also, the Summer EBT program does not ask for immigration status and does not use i​mmigration status to determine eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

Eligibility

​​Yes. Your child is el​igible if they are in foster care, are an Oregon Health Plan member or get more than $0 in SNAP or TANF benefits. 

To qualify through SNAP or TANF, your family must have received these benefits for at least one month between Sept. 1, 2024, and Sept. 2, 2025. Your child must have been school-aged (6 to 18) when getting benefits.​​​

If your child participates in OHP (Medicaid), you may need to take extra steps to apply for Summer EBT. For example, this could happen if your family's income is over the free or reduced-price meals income guidelines.​

Many children who don't qualify at first may be eligible with an application. We invite families to apply to see if their child is eligible.​

Receiving free meals at school will not automatically sign your child up for Summer EBT benefits. You will need to fill out a simple application. The application will need your household income and your child’s name, school, date of birth and address.​

For a child to become eligible by applying, they must:

Not all schools that provide free meals participate in NS​LP or SBP​.

School-aged children who are homeschooled or go to a virtual academy can be eligible for Summer EBT if their household already participates in SNAP, TANF, the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) or the student is in foster care. Some children who meet these requirements are automatically eligible for Summer EBT. Benefits will be sent to the household’s Oregon EBT card.

To qualify for Summer EBT through SNAP or TANF, a child must be in a household that received more than $0 in benefits. The family must have gotten these benefits for at least one month between Sept. 1, 2024, and Sept. 2, 2025. The child must have been school-aged (6 to 18 years old) when getting benefits.

If your child participates in OHP (Medicaid), you may need to take extra steps to apply for Summer EBT. For example, this could happen if your family's income is over the free or reduced-price meals income guidelines.​ 

Many children who don't qualify at first may be eligible with an application. Families are encouraged to apply to see if their child is eligible.

A case manager or community partner can help the student fill out the application. This is recommended when students under the age of 18 want to apply but don’t have an adult to provide the required adult signature. 

The case manager or community partner should list the student’s address as the household mailing address on Step 4 of the application. This allows benefits to be sent to the student directly if they are not receiving SNAP or TANF benefits. The person completing the application should include adult household members living with the child. ​

Children who go to Head Start schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School ​Breakfast Program (SBP)​​ are eligible. You can call the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328 to check if you need to apply. If you apply, your child’s school will verify Head Start enrollment during the application review process.

Not all Head Start locations participate in NSLP or SBP​. However, there are many other ways children may be eligible for Summer EBT. Check the full list of eligibility criteria under "Who is eligible"​ to see if your family should apply.​

Getting benefits

​​Summer EBT benefits will start being sent in early summer 2025. In May 2025, we'll send a letter about your child's eligibility if your family applied or is automatically eligible.​

Households with eligible children will receive their Summer EBT benefits in one issuance. Benefits will be loaded to your Oregon EBT card if you already have one. 

If a household doesn’t already have an Oregon EBT card, a new card will be mailed to them. Expect the card two to four weeks after being found eligible. The card will be sent to the address we have on file. 

Benefits for children who live in the same household will be put on one Oregon EBT card whenever possible. More information will be included in the letter mailed to each eligible child. 

You can update your mailing address by calling the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328.

If you already have an EBT card - Summer EBT benefits will be put on your current card.

If you have SNAP, TANF or OHP but don’t have an EBT card - We’ll mail an EBT card to the address we have on file. If you need to update your address, you can log in to your ONE Online account​ and select “Report a change” on your dashboard.

If you don’t have SNAP, TANF or OHP - ​You will need to apply for Summer EBT. We'll mail the card to the address you provide when you apply. The new card will arrive within two to four weeks once benefits are issued. The card will be mailed to the address we have on file. You can update your mailing address by calling the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328.​

If you have lost your Oregon EBT card, you can request a replacement card by calling the Summer EBT Call Center at ​833-673-7328

If your child is experiencing houselessness and you believe that they are eligible for Summer EBT, please contact the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328​ to provide an alternate mailing address. This may include the child’s school address, preferred shelter or local USPS office.

​​Summer EBT benefits stolen from an EBT card can't be replaced.

If your family lost food purchased with Summer EBT during a storm, flooding, fire or power outage, we may be able to replace your benefits. To request replacement benefits, call the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328. The Call Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time. If your household receives both SNAP and Summer EBT, the Call Center can help you with replacement requests for both.​

Using benefits

​If your household doesn’t have an active Oregon EBT card, a new Oregon EBT card will be mailed to the household address on file. You can update your mailing address by calling the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328​.

Families are encouraged to activate their Oregon EBT card as soon as they get it. However, there is no deadline for activating the Oregon EBT card. 

Keep in mind that Summer EBT benefits expire after four months (122 calendar days). Please use your Summer EBT benefits to purchase food before the benefit expires.​

​​If you have an Oregon EBT card, you can check your balance by visiting www.ebtedge.com​. You can also call the number on the back of your Oregon EBT card or look at your last store receipt for a benefit balance.

Summer EBT benefits are generally used first when making purchases.​

You can use your Summer EBT benefits at any store or farmer’s market that accepts EBT, including online from Amazon and Walmart. Most retailers have signs saying they accept SNAP or EBT.

Summer EBT benefits can be used to buy any food that can be bought with SNAP. SNAP eligible food​ is most foods, except prepared foods and foods sold hot.

Summer EBT benefits can be used for Double Up Food Bucks. Double Up Food Bucks matches every $1 of benefits spent up to $20 on fresh fruit and vegetables at participating local farmers markets. Double Up is currently offered at over 85 farmers market locations, 35 grocery stores and more than 40 CSA farms across the state — with new locations joining the program each year. ​

​​You can use the Summer EBT benefits for four months (122 calendar days) before they expire. Please use your Summer EBT benefits to purchase food before they are removed from the card.​

Please hold on to the new Oregon EBT card. It may be used for future benefits.​

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) does not discriminate against anyone. This means that ODHS will help all who qualify and will not treat anyone differently. See the USDA nondiscrimination statement for more information.

Summer EBT is a program in partnership with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE).

Oregon Department of Human Services Oregon Department of Education