In July 2024, Ohio launched the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, or Summer EBT, also known as SUN Bucks. This new, permanent federal nutrition program—the first in nearly 50 years--aims to address the summer meal gap for children who receive free and reduced-price meals during the school year. Ohio is one of 37 states that opted into Summer EBT in its inaugural year.
The purpose of this research project was to learn more about how Summer EBT was implemented in Ohio in 2024, and most importantly, how the program impacted eligible families. Our ultimate goal was to collect parent experiences in order to make recommendations to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) on how to strengthen the Summer EBT program in future years.
Key Findings
- Summer EBT provided critical nutrition assistance to 1.2 million Ohio children in 2024, exceeding expectations.
- Summer EBT infused over $118 million in federal funding into local grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other SNAP retailers in all 88 counties across Ohio, with a total economic impact of over $182 million in 2024.
- Summer EBT benefits were spent quickly during the summer months, as intended. Within 3 months of initial Summer EBT payments, over 82% of benefits had already been redeemed at local grocery stores.
- The vast majority (98%) of children eligible for Summer EBT received benefits automatically, without their caregivers needing to fill out a separate application. This resulted in significant administrative savings and reduced stress for families.
- Families interviewed for this study reported very positive experiences with Summer EBT in 2024. Families especially appreciated the timing of the benefits, ease of enrollment, and the dignity the program provides.
- The school administrators interviewed found Summer EBT to operate more smoothly than the program’s predecessor (Pandemic EBT) and was not overly burdensome for schools to participate.
- Schools operating their National School Lunch Program under Community Eligibility or Provision 2 models need additional support and resources to clearly and consistently communicate with parents/families about Summer EBT eligibility and how to submit an application.
- In 2024, the Ohio Departments of Education and Workforce and Job and Family Services did an extraordinary job standing up the nation’s first new, permanent child nutrition program in 50 years on a very short timeline. To ensure the Summer EBT program reaches its full potential as it matures in 2025 and beyond, both agencies should be fully funded in Ohio’s 2025 - 2026 biennium budget.
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