STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Summer is coming to an end, and so is the deadline for New York City families to apply to receive $120 per child in summer food benefits.

New York state offered Summer EBT this year, a program that provides low-income families with food benefits to help buy groceries during the summer when kids might not have access to school meals.

The deadline to apply for these benefits is Thursday, Sept. 4.

There are two ways to receive these benefits automatically.

A child must receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or Temporary Assistance (cash) benefits, or be directly certified for free meals through Medicaid. Or a child must be determined eligible for free/reduced price school meals through the National School Lunch Program by their school.

These children will not need to apply for benefits.

Since all New York City public school children are eligible for free lunch, regardless of family income, all families in the school system will receive food benefits.

Some students who aren’t automatically eligible may be able to receive Summer EBT benefits by completing an application.

Families in charter and private schools who receive free meals through the federal school lunch program will also be eligible for food benefits. Other students may be eligible if the household’s income is at or below the limits for eligibility for free/reduced price school meals.

Every child can receive $120 in summer food benefits.

Families can apply for benefits at summerebt.ny.gov.

The benefit card can be used to buy any food for the household, such as:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Meat, poultry and fish
  • Dairy products
  • Breads and cereals
  • Other foods, such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages
  • Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat

Households cannot use benefits to buy items like alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, supplements, live animals, foods that are hot at the point of sale, and any non-food items like pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, hygiene items and other household supplies.

Summer EBT food benefits will remain available and accessible on a Summer EBT food benefits card for 122 days after the date they were issued. All unused benefits are removed from the card after this time, so be sure to use your benefits soon after you receive them.

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