A state appropriation for Summer EBT will ensure $40 in food benefits per summer month for more than 500,000 eligible Alabama children ages 5-17.
1 in 4 Alabama children are food insecure.
Too many of our children don’t know where their next meal will come from. Because of systemic barriers to food access, a disproportionate amount of food-insecure children come from communities of color. The Summer EBT program has been shown to help alleviate this problem by both reducing hunger and supporting healthier diets among children.
500,000+ Alabama children will benefit starting in 2025.
In recent years, 94% of Alabama’s children who relied on free and reduced-price meals during the school year have not had access to these meals over the summer. The Summer EBT appropriation in the 2025 Education Trust Fund budget will help reduce hunger for hundreds of thousands of Alabama children in summer 2025.
Summer EBT could spur $100M each year in economic activity.
This federal nutrition program required a $10 million state match for administrative and setup costs. This funding will generate substantial economic benefits, both for families and for local retailers that accept EBT benefits. Also worth noting: The costs of operating this program likely will decrease in future years.
Preparing for Summer 2025
- Summer EBT cards will be addressed to and in the eligible child’s name.
- Children will be automatically eligible to receive Summer EBT benefits if at least one of these is true:
- The child’s household receives assistance under Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and/or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
- The child is in foster care or experiencing homelessness.
- Applications will be required for all other eligible children.