Texas Will Participate in Summer Food Aid Program

June 20, 2025 – Texas is preparing to participate in the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program, a federal initiative aimed at reducing childhood hunger when schools are out of session. The program, set to launch in Texas in 2027, will provide eligible families with $120 per child during the summer months to help cover the cost of groceries. This effort is designed to bridge the nutritional gap many low-income children face when they lose access to free or reduced-price school meals during summer break.

The Summer EBT program operates similarly to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), offering families a dedicated food budget that can be used at grocery stores. Advocates say this approach gives families the flexibility to purchase the foods they know their children will eat and enjoy, rather than relying solely on summer meal sites, which can sometimes be inaccessible due to transportation or scheduling barriers.

Stacie Sanchez Hare, director of No Kid Hungry Texas, emphasized the importance of the program, noting that her organization has been pushing for its adoption since the program’s creation in 2023. She praised Texas’s decision to opt in, calling it a meaningful step toward ensuring children have consistent access to nutritious food, regardless of the season.

“We knew that this had just had the impact or the ability to impact millions of families and also a significant economic boom to all of the communities where those dollars are going into,” Hare said.