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Summer Meals

Summer EBT, also known as SUN Bucks, provides families with a monthly grocery benefit to feed their children for three summer months (June, July, August) when children are not receiving free or reduced-price meals at school.

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Families receive a one-time benefit of $120 for the summer for each eligible child. Benefits are distributed on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card and can be used at authorized retail locations, including some farmers’ markets.  The SNAP Retailer Locator allows anyone to locate nearby SNAP-authorized retailers.

 

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We Got You Illinois helps Illinois residents get connected to nutrition assistance programs by providing information about all nutrition programs in one place, including how programs work, who is eligible, and how to apply.

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We Got You Illinois is an initiative of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger.

If my child is enrolled in Summer EBT, can they still participate in free summer meal programs?

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Yes. You can get Summer EBT even if your child is getting free meals at school, camp, or other places this summer.

How do I find other summer meal programs this summer?

 

  • Families can text “FOOD” (or “COMIDA”) to 304-304.

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  • Families can also contact the USDA National Hunger Hotline operated by Hunger Free America. The hotline can be reached Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) (for English) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) (for Spanish).

Does it really matter what your child is eating?

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There are benefits to good nutrition.  Kids who eat better do better in school because they are able to learn better.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0047272700001183

 

Children who eat more fruits and vegetables as kids grow into adults who eat more fruits and vegetables.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5622750/

 

Instead of making food decisions for them we need to teach them how to make smart choices on their own.  https://www.kitchngiggles.com/does-childhood-nutrition-even-matter/

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