In New York, summer meals are now more accessible, flexible, and responsive to the needs of families. Thanks to strong community partnerships and innovative strategies, families have more options to access the food they need during the summer months.
When schools close for the summer, millions of children across the country – and especially right here in New York – can lose access to the nutritious meals they depend on during the school year. Summer EBT, helps bridge this gap by providing families with additional resources to keep children fed when school is out. The program can complement free summer meals in communities or be a support for families that live in areas that don’t have access to free summer meals.
Summer EBT has added a critical layer of support to summer nutrition efforts. Launched nationwide in 2024, the program currently supports children in 37 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, all five U.S. territories, and five Indian Tribal Organizations. In New York this year, more than 2 million children are expected to receive more than $250 million in Summer EBT benefits.
No Kid Hungry New York applauds our leaders in making child nutrition a priority and ensuring Summer EBT helps eligible children access meals during the summer months. “As New York’s first Mom Governor, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to help kids and families across the state,” Governor Hochul said in a press release announcing the launch of Summer EBT. “At a time when federally funded nutrition programs are under attack in Washington, Summer EBT will help thousands of low-income families with school-aged children across our state afford to buy healthy food over the summer when many children lose access to free school meals.”
In New York, eligible families will receive $120 in grocery benefits. The deadline for families to apply for benefits is September 4th, 2025.
Help families in New York access these critical summer grocery benefits! Encourage families to visit https://www.summerebt.org/states/new-york to learn more about the Summer EBT program and find summer meal resources in their area.
No Kid Hungry New York is committed to continuing this momentum. We’re partnering with schools, local community-based organizations, and state agencies to provide support, expand program reach, and ensure every child New York has access to the nutrition they need this summer.
