Summer EBT Application Fact Sheet
Summer 2024
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service established a new summer nutrition program to further ensure that children receive nutritious meals outside of the school year. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program (Summer EBT) will provide monetary benefits via Summer EBT cards to eligible households to use during the summer. Eligible school aged children will receive one $120 payment in Summer 2024. Students will automatically receive benefits if they receive free or reduced-price lunches due to having an approved NSLP or alternative income application, are a foster, migrant, runaway, and/or homeless student, and/or participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Students who participate in Medicaid will automatically receive benefits if the income information on their Medicaid application falls under the income guidelines for reduce-priced lunches. You can access these guidelines via this link: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/incomeeligibility guidelines. Families must otherwise submit a Summer EBT Application to establish their eligibility for Summer EBT benefits. Please visit www.tn.gov/summerebt to view additional information on Summer EBT.
Who should submit a Summer EBT Application?
Families with students attending CEP, Provision 1, or Provision 2 schools if
• they do not have an approved NSLP or alternative income application for the 2023-24 school year.
• their students are not foster, migrant, runaway, and/or homeless students.
• they do not participate in SNAP/TANF.
How will I know if Tennessee already established eligibility for my child?
Parents can log into the Summer EBT Parent Portal to link themselves to their child and verify if their child will receive benefits. Please use this link to access the Summer EBT Parent Portal. Link: onedhs.tn.gov/parent. Parents can link/unlink their child by clicking on "My Children" on the homepage. The child's first name, last name, and date of birth must match the child's record in the portal. Parents can call 1-833-772-8347 for additional assistance if they cannot locate their child.
No further action is required to receive Summer EBT benefits if a child is listed as eligible in the Parent Portal. The Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) will mail out the $120 payment via a new Summer EBT card. If your child is not in the Summer EBT Parent Portal, please submit a Summer EBT Application to establish eligibility.
How can I submit a Summer EBT Application?
Parents can apply for benefits online via the Summer EBT Parent Portal. Link: onedhs.tn.gov/parent. Parents can also call the S-EBT Helpdesk at 1-833- 772-8347 to apply and/or receive guidance on applying. DHS encourages parents to apply online for faster application processing.
When is the application window?
The Summer EBT Application will open on Monday, May 20, 2024, and close on Thursday, August 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. CST.
How will I know if my application is approved?
DHS will send emails to parents notifying them of their eligibility decision after they process their application. Parents can also verify their application status on the Summer EBT Parent Portal. Link: onedhs.tn.gov/parent.
When will I receive my benefits?
Parents who submit an approved Summer EBT application in May can expect to receive benefits in the mail by early July. DHS will review applications submitted after May within 15 business days. Families with students who were automatically approved for Summer EBT benefits can expect to receive benefits in the mail by early July.
School Nutrition Program • Andrew Johnson Tower, 10th floor • 710 James Robertson Parkway • Nashville, TN 37243
Tel: (800) 354-3663 • Fax: (615) 532-5303 • tn.gov/education