Summer EBT: Food Benefits for Eligible Children During the Summer Months
Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) is an income-based program that helps families who qualify buy food for their children while school is out. For Summer 2025, families can get $120 in benefits for each eligible child in their household. The benefits are issued once a summer to eligible children. This means that once a child has been sent benefits, they will not get any more Summer EBT benefits for the year.
The main issuance of Summer EBT benefits will happen on Saturday, June 7, 2025. On that day, we will send benefits to all families of children who we know are eligible.
Over the summer, if we get information showing other children are eligible or contact information for families that may have been missing, we will send them benefits in another issuance. These issuances will happen regularly throughout the summer until the end of September.
Receiving Summer EBT will not affect a family or child's immigration status.
Need help with Summer EBT?
-
Apply (opens external link) for Summer EBT. -
Update (opens external link) your contact information. -
Opt-out (opens external link) from getting Summer EBT benefits for Summer 2025. - Call QUEST Card Service at 877-415-5164 with questions about your card.
If you need help with anything else, email the Summer EBT Support Team at
Getting Summer EBT
Families will get $120 for each eligible child in their household for Summer 2025. The $120 benefit amount for each eligible child provides $40 for each month of June, July, and August.
Summer EBT benefits are a one-time issuance. This means that, once your child gets their benefits, they will not get any more Summer EBT benefits for the year.
The first round of benefits will be sent on June 7, 2025. On that day, we will send benefits to all families of children who we know are eligible. If we get information after that date telling us that a child qualifies, we will send the benefits in another issuance. These issuances will happen throughout the summer until the end of September.
We will send out Summer EBT benefits automatically to as many families as possible on June 7, 2025.
To make sure we have the correct contact information for your family, you can use the Benefit Management
The earliest someone can receive Summer EBT benefits for 2025 is June 7, 2025. If you were sent a letter about receiving benefits but you did not already have a QUEST or Pandemic EBT card for us to load benefits onto, you will be sent a new card in the mail. Please allow 7-10 business days for your card to be delivered after we issue the benefits. If you do not get your card in the mail, please contact the Summer EBT Support Team by emailing
If you think your child should have gotten Summer EBT benefits and you did not get the benefits or a letter telling you that you’d be receiving them, this may mean that we do not have all the information we need to know if they qualify or to send the benefits to you.
If your child meets the requirements to get benefits automatically but did not get them, it likely means that we do not have contact information for your household. To make sure we have the most up-to-date contact information for your family, use the Benefit Management
You can also contact the Summer EBT Support Team to update your contact information or ask any question you have about the program by emailing
Children qualify for Summer EBT if they have an approved application to get free or reduced price meals at their National School Lunch Program (NSLP) school during the 2024-2025 school year.
A child can also qualify if they are part of a household that participates in one of the following programs during some or all the 2024-2025 school year:
- FoodShare
- Wisconsin Works
(W-2) (opens external link) - The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
(FDPIR) (opens external link) - Certain income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)
If a child does not go to an NSLP school, but were in one of the programs listed above, they must have been born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019, to qualify.
The Summer EBT
- Their child’s school accepts Free or Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL) applications, but their child does not have an approved FRPL application on file with their school for this school year.
- Their child’s school participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) where they don’t use FRPL applications because every child gets meals at no cost.
Families should use the Summer EBT Application only if their child goes to a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). If a child does not go to a school that participates in the NSLP, they cannot qualify for Summer EBT through the Summer EBT Application.
Families should not use the Summer EBT Application if they take part in a qualifying benefit program at any time between July 1, 2024, and August 28, 2025. The qualifying benefit programs include:
- FoodShare
- Wisconsin Works
(W-2) (opens external link) - The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
(FDPIR) (opens external link) - Certain income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)
The table below shows the income limits (effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025) for Summer EBT. They are the same ones used for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Your household’s total income must be the same or less than the amount shown for your household size. Note: These income limits will change on July 1, 2025.
| Household Size | Yearly Income ($) | Monthly Income($) | Weekly Income($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27,861 | 2,322 | 536 |
| 2 | 37,814 | 3,152 | 728 |
| 3 | 47,767 | 3,981 | 919 |
| 4 | 57,720 | 4,810 | 1,110 |
| 5 | 67,673 | 5,640 | 1,320 |
| 6 | 77,626 | 6,469 | 1,493 |
| 7 | 87,579 | 7,299 | 1,685 |
| 8 | 97,532 | 8,128 | 1,876 |
| 9 | 107,485 | 8,958 | 2,068 |
| 10 | 117,438 | 9,788 | 2,260 |
| 11 | 127,391 | 10,618 | 2,452 |
| 12 | 137,344 | 11,448 | 2,644 |
| Add this amount for each additional household member | 9,953 | 830 | 192 |
Children who qualify because their application for free or reduced price meals was approved by their NSLP school can be any age.
If your child does not go to a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) school but your household participates in one of the qualifying programs for some or all of the 2024-2025 school year, they must have been born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019, in order to get Summer EBT.
Wisconsin will send out Summer EBT benefits automatically to as many families as possible when issuances start in June 2025.
We will use data from schools, DHS, DPI, and DCF to find children who qualify. If we find that your child is eligible for Summer EBT, we will send you benefits automatically and notify you by mail.
To make sure we have the correct contact information for your family, you can use our Benefit Management
If your child qualifies for Summer EBT, we will send you a letter. This letter will tell you that they are qualified and, if you have more than one eligible child, you will see the total benefit amount you will be sent for the summer.
If your application is approved, you will be sent a letter telling you that your child will be receiving benefits. If you applied for more than one child at the same time, the letter will list each child who is approved to get benefits and the total benefit amount you will be sent.
If your application is not approved, you will be sent an email telling you that your child will not be receiving benefits. This email will explain the reasons for the denial and any next steps you can take.
No benefits for this year will be sent before June 7, 2025. If your application is approved in time to be included in the June 7 issuance, then we will send your child’s benefits at that time along with a letter explaining the benefits you’re getting. If your application is not approved in time to be included in the June 7 issuance, then we will send your child’s benefits and a letter during our next planned issuance of benefits.
The way that your child can qualify depends on the type of school that they go to. Please note that, if you have children who go to different schools, they might have different ways they qualify.
Contact your child’s school to find out if they participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or not.
Your child's school participates in the NSLP
You can apply for Free or Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL) for your child. If the application for FRPL for your child is approved before the end of the 2024-2025 school year, they will be able to get Summer EBT in 2025.
You can apply to participate in one of the qualifying state benefit programs, which include:
- FoodShare
- Wisconsin Works
(W-2) (opens external link) - The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
(FDPIR) (opens external link) - Certain income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)
If you apply and are approved for one of these programs before the end of Summer 2025, then your child will be eligible for Summer EBT for 2025. To learn more about applying for any of these state benefits you can call 211 or visit access.wi.gov. You can also contact your local or Tribal agency who will help you apply for the programs.
Lastly, you can apply directly for Summer
Your child’s school does not participate in the NSLP
Children who do not go to an NSLP school, including those who are homeschooled or are in a virtual school, can only qualify if they are school-aged and are part of a household that participates in a qualifying program. For Summer 2025, children are considered school aged if they were born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019.
To try to get benefits for your child, you can apply to participate in one of the qualifying state benefit programs, which include:
- FoodShare
-
W-2 (opens external link) -
FDPIR (opens external link) - Some income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)
If you apply and are approved for one of these programs before the end of Summer 2025, then your child will be eligible for Summer EBT for 2025. To learn more about applying for any of these state benefits you can call 211 or visit access.wi.gov. You can also contact your local or Tribal agency who will help you apply for the programs.
If your child meets the eligibility requirements for some or all of the 2024-2025 school year, they will receive Summer EBT benefits in 2025—even if they are set to graduate this year.
Please remember that, for children who go to a school that is not part of the NSLP, one of the eligibility requirements is that they are school aged. For Summer 2025, children are considered school aged if they were born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019.
Using Summer EBT
Your Summer EBT benefits will be put onto an EBT card that works like a debit card. If you already have a QUEST card or a P-EBT card from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will put your Summer EBT benefits on that card, if your child is eligible. If you do not already have an EBT card, we will mail you a new QUEST card.
Some families may get multiple cards if their children are on different cases. If this happens, the benefits cannot be combined or transferred between the different cards.
To check the balance on your card, go to the ebtEDGE
Your Summer EBT benefits can be used wherever FoodShare benefits are accepted. This includes most grocery stores, many convenience stores, some farmers markets, and certain online retailers. You can use the benefits to buy food items, including:
- Bread and cereals
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat, fish, and poultry
- Dairy products
- Snack foods
See a detailed list of
Once the benefits are added to your EBT card, you have 122 days (about 4 months) to use them. Any benefits that you have not used after that time will be removed from your card. You will get reminders in the mail before we remove any benefits from your card.
Please remember that you cannot give your EBT card to someone else. It is illegal to sell, trade, or give your Summer EBT benefits to another person.
Yes. If your child gets Summer EBT benefits, they can still participate in other summer meal programs. Two programs like this are the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option. To learn more about meal sites near you, visit
In rare cases, families may get multiple cards if their children are on different cases. If this happens, the benefits cannot be combined or transferred between the different cards.
If you think you got more benefits than you should have, contact the Summer EBT Support Team by emailing
If food you purchased with Summer EBT benefits was lost due to a household misfortune or natural disaster, you can request replacement benefits. You must complete your request for replacement food benefits within 10 days of the food loss.
If you only get Summer EBT benefits and not FoodShare, you will need to complete a Request for Replacement FoodShare and/or Summer EBT Benefits form, F-00330 and email it to
If you get both FoodShare and Summer EBT, visit our Replacement Food Benefits page for more information on how you can request replacement benefits.
If you have not been sent benefits yet, you can let us know you don’t want them through the Benefit Management
If you were already sent benefits but do not want them, you can contact the Summer EBT Support Team by emailing
Appeals
You have the right to request a fair hearing. A fair hearing allows you to tell why you think there has been a wrong decision about your application or benefits. At the hearing, a hearing officer will hear from you and the agency. They will then determine if the decision was right or wrong. You may bring a friend or family member with you to the hearing.
To request a fair hearing, you will need to send either a fair hearing request form or a letter asking for a hearing to the Division of Hearings & Appeals, PO Box 7875, Madison, WI 53707. You can also fax it to 608-264-9885.
You may be able to get free legal help for the hearing. To learn more about legal help, call 888-278-0633.
Resources
Summer EBT Benefit Management
Summer Food Service
Summer EBT
Wisconsin's Summer EBT Plans
Summer EBT Plan for Operations and Management (POM)
Each year, DHS prepares a plan for Summer EBT with the support of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). The plan details who is eligible, and how benefits will be sent to eligible children.
Download Wisconsin’s Summer EBT plan for the summer of 2024 (PDF).
Coordinated Services Plan
This is the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' notice to the public that DHS and DPI, as partners in administering the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children Program (Summer EBT), have submitted a waiver to the USDA to waive regulatory provisions for this program. Specifically, the departments asked to defer the January 1, 2025, compliance date for the Coordinated Services Plan. This waiver was submitted on December 12, 2024, and was approved December 18, 2024. The waiver is effective through January 1, 2026.