Every June, Free School Lunch Disappears. New York Sent 1.6 Million Families $189 Million To Fill The Gap.
New York State delivered $189 million in summer food assistance to nearly 1.6 million low-income children through the federally funded 2026 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on July 1, filling a gap that opens every June when school cafeterias close and the free and reduced-price meals that millions of children depend on during the school year disappear entirely. The program puts $120 per child directly onto an EBT card that works at authorized grocery stores and farmers markets, exactly like SNAP. Most eligible families, including those already receiving SNAP, Public Assistance, or Medicaid, received the money automatically without needing to apply. Families not automatically enrolled had until September 8, 2026 to apply at ny.gov/SummerEBT, and when fully disbursed the state expected the program to reach an estimated 2 million children with roughly $240 million total. To qualify, a child must attend a school participating in the National School Lunch Program and meet income thresholds for free or reduced-price meals. The $120 balance expires 122 days after issuance, so families are encouraged to spend it promptly after the card arrives.
A United States Department of Agriculture demonstration project cited in the announcement found that summer food benefits reduced the share of children with very low food security by one-third, making the program one of the more cost-effective anti-hunger interventions available. Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, described Summer EBT as critical in closing a gap that sends children who receive school meals during the year into summers with no government-funded food access at community summer meal sites when schools are closed. Richard Buery Jr., CEO of Robin Hood, described summer as a time when school meals disappear and budgets are stretched thin for low-income New York families. The program is administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and coordinated with school districts, food advocacy organizations, and state agencies including the Department of Motor Vehicles and Department of Labor career centers. In New York's fiscal year 2027 budget, Governor Hochul also secured $51 million for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, an additional $15 million to expand it to regional food banks, $55 million for the Nourish New York program, and $395 million to reimburse the cost of school meals, continuing the Universal Free School Meals program that keeps cafeteria food accessible to every child regardless of family income during the school year.
