Summer EBT: Food Benefits for Eligible Children During the Summer Months

Children qualify for Summer EBT if they have an approved application to get free or reduced price meals at their National School Lunch Program (NSLP) school during the 2024-2025 school year.

A child can also qualify if they are part of a household that participates in one of the following programs during some or all the 2024-2025 school year:

• FoodShare
• Wisconsin Works (W-2)
• The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Some income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)

If a child does not go to an NSLP school, but were in one of the programs listed above, they must have been born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019, to qualify.

The table below shows the income limits (effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025) for Summer EBT. They are the same ones used for the NSLP. Your household’s total income must be the same or less than the amount shown for your household size. Note: These income limits will change on July 1, 2025.

Children who qualify because their application for free or reduced price meals was approved by their NSLP school can be any age.

If your child does not go to an NSLP school but your household participates in one of the qualifying programs for some or all of the 2024-2025 school year, they must have been born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019, in order to get Summer EBT.

Wisconsin will send out Summer EBT benefits automatically to as many families as possible when issuances start in May 2025.

We will use data from schools, DHS, DPI, and DCF to find children who qualify. If we find that your child is eligible for Summer EBT, we will send you benefits automatically and notify you by mail.

To make sure we have the correct contact information for your family, you can use our Benefit Management Tool to tell us about any changes. If your address changes before benefits start to be sent out in May 2025, make sure to let us know so we can make sure we get the benefit sent to the right place.

If your child qualifies for Summer EBT, we will send you a letter. This letter will tell you that they are qualified and, if you have more than one eligible child, you will see the total benefit amount you will be sent for the summer.

The way that your child can qualify depends on the type of school that they go to. Please note that, if you have children who go to different schools, they might have different ways they qualify.

Contact your child’s school to find out if they participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or not.

Your child's school participates in the NSLP

You can apply for Free or Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL) for your child. If the application for FRPL for your child is approved before the end of the 2024-2025 school year, they will be able to get Summer EBT in 2025.

You can apply to participate in one of the qualifying state benefit programs, which include:

• FoodShare
• Wisconsin Works (W-2)
• The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Some income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)

If you apply and are approved for one of these programs before the end of Summer 2025, then your child will be eligible for Summer EBT for 2025. To learn more about applying for any of these state benefits you can call 211 or visit access.wi.gov. You can also contact your local or Tribal agency who will help you apply for the programs.

Lastly, you can apply directly for Summer EBT. When applying for Summer EBT for your child, you will need to show that your household meets the income requirements for the program.

Your child’s school does not participate in the NSLP

Children who do not go to an NSLP school, including those who are homeschooled or are in a virtual school, can only qualify if they are school-aged and are part of a household that participates in a qualifying program. For Summer 2025, children are considered school aged if they were born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019.

To try to get benefits for your child, you can apply to participate in one of the qualifying state benefit programs, which include:

• FoodShare
• W-2
• FDPIR
• Some income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)

If you apply and are approved for one of these programs before the end of Summer 2025, then your child will be eligible for Summer EBT for 2025. To learn more about applying for any of these state benefits you can call 211 or visit access.wi.gov. You can also contact your local or Tribal agency who will help you apply for the programs.

If your child meets the eligibility requirements for some or all of the 2024-2025 school year, they will receive Summer EBT benefits in 2025 – even if they are set to graduate this year.

Please remember that, for children who go to a school that is not part of the NSLP, one of the eligibility requirements is that they are school aged. For Summer 2025, children are considered school aged if they were born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019.

Your Summer EBT benefits will be put onto an EBT card that works like a debit card. If you already have a QUEST card or a P-EBT card from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will put your Summer EBT benefits on that card, if your child is eligible. If you do not already have an EBT card, we will mail you a new QUEST card.

Some families may get multiple cards if their children are on different cases. If this happens, the benefits cannot be combined or transferred between the different card.

To check the balance on your card, go to the ebtEDGE website or use the ebtEDGE mobile app. If you lose your card, call QUEST Card Service at 877-415-5164.

Your Summer EBT benefits can be used wherever FoodShare benefits are accepted. This includes most grocery stores, many convenience stores, some farmers markets, and certain online retailers. You can use the benefits to buy food items, including:

• Bread and cereals
• Fruits and vegetables
• Meat, fish, and poultry
• Dairy products
• Snack foods

See a detailed list of items you can and cannot buy with your benefits.

Once the benefits are added to your EBT card, you have 122 days (about 4 months) to use them. Any benefits that you have not used after that time will be removed from your card. You will get reminders in the mail before we remove any benefits from your card.

Please remember that you cannot give your EBT card to someone else. It is illegal to sell, trade, or give your Summer EBT benefits to another person.

Yes. If your child gets Summer EBT benefits, they can still participate in other summer meal programs. Two programs like this are the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option. To learn more about meal sites near you, visit wisummerfood.org or call 211. You can also text ‘food’ to 304-304.

You have the right to request a fair hearing. A fair hearing allows you to tell why you think there has been a wrong decision about your application or benefits. At the hearing, a hearing officer will hear from you and the agency. They will then determine if the decision was right or wrong. You may bring a friend or family member with you to the hearing.

To request a fair hearing, you will need to send either a fair hearing request form or a letter asking for a hearing to the Division of Hearings & Appeals, PO Box 7875, Madison, WI 53707. You can also fax it to 608-264-9885.

You may be able to get free legal help for the hearing. To learn more about legal help, call 888-278-0633.

The deadline to request a fair hearing for Summer 2024 was November 30, 2024.