LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that Arkansas will continue participating in the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program in 2025.
Summer EBT helps families purchase food while school is out over the summer by providing $120 in food benefits for each child who qualifies for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
These benefits are distributed on pre-loaded EBT cards similar to the ones used for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“Childhood hunger is a crisis – across America and especially in Arkansas. I signed Arkansas up for Summer EBT last year to give us another tool in our fight to make sure no child goes to bed hungry. This program is vitally important for so many families and I look forward to our state continuing its participation next year,” said Gov. Sanders.
Any school-aged children receiving SNAP benefits automatically qualify for Summer EBT benefits. If a student at an NSLP school has individually been deemed eligible for free and reduced meals, the student will automatically qualify for Summer EBT benefits too.
“We are pleased to partner with DHS to continue to offer this critical service to students,” said Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva. “Food insecurity struggles are often worse during the summer months when students are not in school, where they often receive their only meal of the day. Together, we are working to end hunger in Arkansas, and the Summer EBT program is one opportunity to help us ensure that the most needy students have the healthy meals they so desperately need.”
Arkansas joined the program last year, during the first year it was made available, and served 260,000 children.
