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Frequently asked questions about Summer EBT

Three photos of children eating or at a grocery store

Summer EBT helps families purchase healthy food for the months in which students are not in school. Expand the sections below for answers to frequently asked questions about Summer EBT.

What is Summer EBT?

Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) is a new program created to help families purchase healthy food for the months in which students are not in school. Summer EBT provides $40 per eligible child per summer month when schools are closed. Families receive a single $120 lump-sum payment on pre-loaded cards that can be spent on eligible food purchases. 

Who is eligible for Summer EBT?

A student may be eligible if:

  • They attended a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and are eligible for free or reduced-price meals; or
  • Their family receives Supplimental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). The child may be eligible through Medicaid if thier family's income is within NSLP guidelines. To be eligible by these  means, the child  must be between the ages of 6 and 17.5 years old.
How much will I receive?

The benefit is $40 per child per summer month when schools are closed. Eligible children will receive $120 as a single lump-sum payment to cover the summer months.

How do I get Summer EBT?

Many families will automatically receive Summer EBT if their student attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and their household meets income guidelines for free or reduced-price school meals.

In addition, those who participate in the Summer Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)), or Medicaid (and meet NSLP income guidelines) will automatically receive Summer EBT benefits. 

While Colorado enrolls the majority of eligible students automatically, some students may need to directly apply to receive benefits. These students include those who attend an NSLP participating school and meet income guidelines for free or reduced-price school meals but do not have up-to-date household income data on file with their school. Examples may include students recently enrolled in a new school or those who have recently moved to Colorado. 

You can access the Summer EBT application for 2025 benefits here: https://peak.my.site.com/SEBT/s/?language=en_US

When will my child receive Summer EBT?

Colorado will begin distributing Summer EBT benefits in early summer of 2025.

What if I receive multiple cards for the same student?

Summer EBT is a single yearly benefit of $120 per eligible child. Each eligible child should receive only one payment. If multiple cards are received for the same child (e.g., two cards with the same or similar name), do not use the additional benefit card(s). Immediately contact the Summer EBT support Center to determine which card(s) to dispose of. 

S-EBT Support Center contact information:

How do I access my child's Summer EBT benefits?

Students who are eligible for Summer EBT benefits receive funds on a Summer EBT card. New cards can take 30-45 days to arrive through the mail for newly eligible students.

What does the Summer EBT card look like?

Here is an example of a Summer EBT card.

Example of a Summer EBT card
What can I purchase with Summer EBT benefits?

Families can use Summer EBT funds to purchase foods based on their dietary needs and preferences from retailers in their communities. Eligible food items include:

  • Breads and cereals
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Meats, fish and poultry
  • Dairy products
  • Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat
  • Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers and ice cream
  • Seafood, steak and bakery cakes
  • Coffee
Can I use my Summer EBT card in another state?

Summer EBT cards can be used at any authorized retail location in the U.S. Colorado may block transactions in certain cities/states if fraud is suspected. In this situation, the participant may be required to call to have the card unlocked for those locations.

What if my child is younger than 6, older than 17.5 or being homeschooled?
  • A child younger than 6 would be eligible for Summer EBT if they attend a pre-K, Head Start or elementary school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and their household meets the NSLP income guidelines.
  • Students over the age of 17.5 may be eligible if they are determined to be mentally or physically disabled, attending an NSLP school, and their household meets the NSLP income guidelines.
  • A child who is homeschooled, may be eligible for Summer EBT if they are in a household that is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or Medicaid (Medicaid participants must also meet NSLP income guidelines for Summer EEBT eligibility). 
Do preschool students qualify for Summer EBT?

Yes, a preschooler jwould be eligible if they attend a pre-K, Head Start, or elementary school that participates in the National School Lunch Prgram (NSLP) and their household meets the NSLP income guidelines.

Does it matter if my student is enrolled in a charter, public or private school?

Not necessarily. As long as the school participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the student's household meets income requirements, the child will be eligible for Summer EBT. If the school does not participate in the NSLP, then a child must be 6-17.5 years old on or before August 1st of the current school year, and in a household enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or Medicaid (Medicaid and meet NSLP income guidelines) to be eligible. 

Will my child still qualify for Summer EBT if they switched schools during the school year?

Yes. Eligibility is based on the timing of entrollment in a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Students who have been entrolled in a school that participates in the NSLP at any point during the current school year qualify for Summer EBT benefits.

Custody for my student is split between two households. How does my student receive Summer EBT?

The Summer EBT benefit is meant for the student; the Summer EBT card is issued in the student’s name and is meant to travel with the student between households. For the first issuance of Summer EBT school enrollment benefits, the student’s benefits will be issued in care of the parent or guardian who is listed as "head of household" by the student’s school. This may be the adult who submitted a household income form (previously known as the free and reduced-price meals application) for the student, or the adult listed as the primary contact in the school's system. Please work with any other guardians and coordinate to support the student that the benefits are intended for.

How do I find out who the current guardian on file for my student is?

The current guardian on file reflects the most recent information submitted to the Summer EBT program by your student’s school or district. This is typically the parent or guardian who is listed as “head of household.” It may also be the adult who submitted a household income form (previously known as the free and reduced-price meals application) for the student, or the adult listed as the primary contact in the school’s system, depending on the school’s data. Guardians of Summer EBT-eligible students should receive an eligibility notice for their student in the mail.

Guardians can confirm they are the currently listed contact for a student by contacting the Summer EBT Support Center. Please note that the Summer EBT program cannot share case specifics or confirm any case information (including guardianship) with any individual who is not the currently listed guardian.

Changes can only be made to the parent/guardian on file if:

  • The current parent/guardian on file requests to designate a different parent/guardian and provides updated contact information (new guardian name and mailing address); or 
  • The parent/guardian on file with the Summer EBT program is deceased, medically incapacitated, or incarcerated. 

Please note these are the only situations in which the parent/guardian on file can be adjusted.

Contact the Summer EBT Support Center for case-specific information:

Are children who are not yet enrolled in school eligible for Summer EBT?

A child who was not yet enrolled in school during the 2024-25 school year may be eligible if: 

  • They were born on or after Aug. 1, 2019; and
  • Their family is receiving SNAP, Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or Medicaid (Medicaid and meet NSLP income guidelines) to be eligible. 
Will there be Summer EBT benefits past 2025?

Yes. Summer EBT is a permanent program.

If my student didn’t receive any Summer EBT benefits but I feel they should have, what do I do?

The Summer EBT program distributes all benefits based on the data received from schools and districts. Contact the Summer EBT Support Center to discuss your student's eligibility:

Please review the "How do I get Summer EBT?" FAQ section. If you do not meet those criteria, then you may be eligible to submit a Summer EBT application by calling the Support Center.

Contact information

Contact the Summer EBT Support Center if you have questions. The operating hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.