Tennessee Set to Begin Summer EBT Distribution for the 2023-24 Academic School Year to Improve Food Access for Children During the 2024 Summer Break
Eligible Students will be Issued Summer EBT Benefits Beginning June 14, 2024
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Human Services today announced that the department, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education, has launched the Summer EBT Program for the 2023-24 academic school year.
Summer EBT is a new supplemental nutrition benefit program that provides families $120 for each eligible school-aged child to buy groceries when school is out. Most families will get these benefits automatically if their child is enrolled in the National School Lunch Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Families First (TANF), and/or TennCare, but some parents will need to apply. The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) will distribute Summer EBT benefits based on records provided by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), school districts, and through funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service.
Summer EBT Eligibility
Students K-12 are eligible to receive benefits for the Summer 2024 if they attended school for the 2023-24 academic school year in person and:
- The family is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Families First (TANF), or TennCare (Medicaid) programs during the 2023-24 academic year. These families are automatically eligible to receive Summer EBT for the 2023-24 school year and will not need to apply for Summer EBT.
- Children who applied and qualified to receive free or reduced-price lunch at a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participant school during the 2023-24 academic year are also automatically eligible to receive Summer EBT and will not need to apply.
Summer EBT application is required for families who are not automatically enrolled but attended a NSLP-participating school during the 2023-24 school year. The application can be completed using the Summer EBT Parent Portal at https://onedhs.tn.gov/parent. Benefit approval will be based on income guidelines.
Families will receive a one-time lump sum of $120 per eligible child in Summer EBT benefits.
Summer EBT benefits will be provided on an EBT card and can be used to buy groceries after the card has been activated. The new Summer EBT card will be mailed to the eligible child’s home based on current school records.
Parents can log in to the Summer EBT Parent Portal at https://onedhs.tn.gov/parent to view Summer EBT benefits, link their child(ren), verify or change address, and sign up to receive text message notifications.
If a parent or guardian has questions that are not answered through the Summer EBT website or Summer EBT Parent Portal, they may call One DHS Customer Service at 833-772-TDHS (8347) for assistance.
If you have questions specific to your Oak Ridge student and eligibility, please contact Pupil services:
Dr. Larrissa Henderson
Director of Pupil Services
LHenderson@ortn.edu
865-425-9024
For more information, please visit: www.tn.gov/SummerEBT
ABOUT THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (TDHS)
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) consists of multiple divisions with a unified mission to strengthen Tennessee by strengthening Tennesseans. Led by governor-appointed Commissioner Clarence H. Carter, TDHS serves nearly two million Tennesseans to ensure that all state residents have an opportunity to reach their full potential as contributing members of their community. Among the many services and programs provided by TDHS, some of the leading programs include the Child Support Program, Child and Adult Day Services and Licensing, Families First (the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Rehabilitation Services for people with disabilities, and Adult Protective Services, along with many others. TDHS is an organization committed to connecting people to resources that help individuals, families and communities thrive towards long