In Ohio, 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, thousands of children 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 served approximately 21.3 million children across 37 states, the District of Columbia, all five U.S. territories, and two Indian Tribal Organizations. This year, participation has expanded to 37 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, all five U.S. territories, and five Indian Tribal Organizations.
No Kid Hungry Ohio applauds our leaders in making child nutrition a priority and ensuring Summer EBT helps eligible children access meals during the summer months. You can learn more in Ohio Department of Job & Family Services press release.
In Ohio, eligible families will receive $120 in grocery benefits, benefiting over one million children statewide. The deadline for families to apply for benefits is August 15th.
Help families in your community access these critical summer grocery benefits! Encourage families to visit nokidhungry.org/help to learn more about the Summer EBT program and find summer meal resources in their area.
No Kid Hungry Ohio 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 Ohio has access to the nutrition they need this summer.
