Governor Hochul Announces Nearly $200 Million in Food Assistance Going to 1.5 Million Children Across New York

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York has issued nearly $200 million in food assistance to more than 1.5 million low-income children as part of the new Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) program. New York is sending $120 per child to eligible families to help pay for healthy meals. Some eligible families have already begun to receive this assistance and the benefits will continue to be sent in the coming weeks. Governor Hochul also highlighted that more assistance is available, and the State expects approximately 2 million children will qualify to receive this benefit. New Yorkers are encouraged to learn more about eligibility and apply before the September 3 deadline.

“Having access to healthy, nutritious food is essential for children’s health and well-being,” Governor Hochul said. “As New York continues putting money back in the pockets of working families, we’ve already begun sending food assistance to more than 1.5 million kids – and we’re going to keep delivering these benefits to more families in need.”

Summer EBT is a new federally funded program that supports efforts to address food insecurity among children from low-income families. Each state electing to opt into the Summer EBT program is responsible for distributing the $120-per-child benefits to eligible families, as well as covering half of the administrative costs involved in distributing the funds. Governor Hochul ensured that New York would participate in this program and secured $13 million in the State’s FY 2025 Enacted Budget to support Summer EBT distribution efforts throughout the State.

Governor Hochul made today’s announcement at the Lower East Side Girls Club with local advocates and Representative Dan Goldman, who helped secure Summer EBT funding alongside New York’s congressional delegation

New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “This new program will help us fight food insecurity and hunger among school-aged children in New York by ensuring that students whose families rely on free or reduced-price school meals during the school year continue to have access to healthy, nutritious food when school is out during the summer. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her commitment to enable New York to join Summer EBT and for recognizing the impact the program will have for low-income students and their families.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “No child should ever go hungry, which is why I fought to secure federal funding for the Summer EBT program. Summer is often the time of year when food insecurity is highest for children and this assistance for families comes just in the nick of time for New Yorkers. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s work ensuring that federal dollars are being put to good use addressing food insecurity and helping feed children across New York State.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “This nearly $200 million will provide a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of families statewide. Thanks to the Summer EBT program, children across the state can have access to healthy, nutritious meals year-round. I’m proud to have helped deliver this funding and I applaud Governor Hochul for her commitment to addressing food insecurity across New York State.”

Representative Dan Goldman said, “With New Yorkers facing increasingly high costs of living, I'm proud to stand alongside Governor Hochul to help ensure millions of children in our State have access to the healthy, nutritious food they need to thrive. Originally passed by Democrats and signed into law by the Biden-Harris Administration, the Summer EBT initiative will bring real relief to working families across our state, providing families with $120 per eligible child during the critical summer months when child food insecurity spikes. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Albany and Washington to roll out this program, bolster SNAP benefits, and fight to make sure no child ever goes hungry again.”

Eligible children are receiving Summer EBT food benefits on an EBT card that their families can use just like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Summer EBT food benefits can be used to buy food like fruits, vegetables, meat, whole grains, and dairy at authorized retail food stores, farmers markets, and anywhere else SNAP is accepted.

Most children who are eligible – including recipients of SNAP, Temporary Assistance, or Medicaid – will automatically receive Summer EBT and do not need to do anything to apply. These families were sent a letter this summer letting them know that their child is eligible.

In addition to those who are automatically receiving benefits, other eligible families may apply to receive benefits for their children. To be eligible, a child must attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program and meet the income requirements for free/reduced-price school meals.

To learn more about eligibility and apply, visit ny.gov/SummerEBT. Applications for Summer 2024 benefits must be submitted by September 3, 2024.

State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud said, “By providing $120 per child through the Summer EBT program, families will receive the support they need to provide healthy meals during the summer months. I applaud Governor Hochul’s commitment to putting money back into the pockets of working families and addressing food insecurity throughout our State.”

State Senator Brian Kavanagh said, “Providing nearly $200 million in additional food assistance to low income New Yorkers through the new Summer EBT program will be a huge help to the families of my district and throughout the State who have been struggling with food insecurity. Children who live in poverty and in food-insecure households are more likely than their peers to have health problems and difficulty in school. Programs like Summer EBT are especially important as food insecurity has been on the rise in New York and around the country. These funds will ensure that fewer families and children go to bed with empty stomachs. I thank Governor Hochul for her leadership on this issue and for working with the State legislature to secure the necessary State funding to implement this program, which I was proud to support; and I thank my Congressman Dan Goldman, who represents us so well in Lower Manhattan and in Washington for his work making these funds available through the federal budget. I cannot think of a more worthwhile pursuit.

Assemblymember Maritza Davila said, “As Chairwoman of the Social Services Committee, I commend Governor Hochul for her leadership in issuing nearly $200 million in food assistance to more than 1.5 million low-income children through the new summer EBT program. This initiative provides $120 per child to eligible families for healthy meals during the summer. Just as many children rely on their schools to provide free hot breakfasts and lunches during the rest of the year. There are over a half a million other children who are eligible for this program, and I hope we can all work together to identify these children and make sure they get all the benefits they are entitled to.”

Assemblymember Harvey Epstein said, “Thousands of students in New York State face food insecurity and rely on free and reduced-price school lunches to meet their nutritional needs. In the summer, they are left without access to this vital resource. Summer EBT is an essential lifeline to New York families by providing an extra $120 per student. I am proud to have championed the expansion of Summer EBT, along with the Earned Income Tax Credit and Empire State Child Credit payments, to support working families. No child in New York should go hungry.”

Councilmember Carlina Rivera said, “Summer EBT is a crucial program that bridges the gaps in access to food security while students are not in school. Healthy food is a key foundation for overall wellbeing and this support by Governor Hochul addresses the high costs of living funding millions to better care for our children. These are the important investments that make all the difference for families in need.”

Director of No Kid Hungry New York Rachel Sabella said, “For hundreds of thousands of New York families, an extra $120 per child can be the difference between kids having healthy meals in the summertime or facing hunger. It can mean parents and caregivers not having to face impossible choices like whether to buy groceries or keep the lights on. Summer EBT is a smart policy No Kid Hungry has been championing for more than a decade – and one that promises to be a gamechanger in addressing the longstanding summer hunger crisis. I want to thank Governor Hochul, our New York Congressional delegation and the State Legislature for getting this program underway here in New York and spreading the word to eligible families.”

Hunger Free America CEO Joel Berg said, “Summer EBT is a win-win for the people of New York. It will reduce child hunger while boosting our food economy. We thank Governor Hochul and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance for so aggressively promoting and implementing this vital initiative.”

LES Girls Club Chief Program Officer Michelle Grier said, “The Lower Eastside Girls Club has been a haven for girls and gender-expansive youth for over 25 years. We know our New York families' challenges, from inadequate housing to food insecurity. We are very proud to have expanded our mission through our new Center for Wellbeing & Happiness, where we can now serve our Girls Club members' families and the broader LES community. The Center for Wellbeing & Happiness provides daily meals through our food pantry. As an organization dedicated to running a food pantry, we see an increased need for access to healthy produce and meals serving the entire family. Governor Hochul's investment in food assistance recognizes this need and enables families to have the power to supplement their meals, especially as food costs continue to rise. Addressing food insecurity is the first step in ensuring our families have their basic needs met, like healthy food and housing. Our experience has shown us that children thrive when families have the resources they need. The proposed expansion is not merely a policy enhancement- it is an investment in human potential and a statement that every child matters.”

Expanding Access to Child Tax Credit Payments

Governor Hochul recently announced New York State is delivering approximately $350 million in supplemental payments to low- and moderate-income families statewide through the Empire State Child Credit program. More than 1 million families will receive this financial assistance without any need to apply, as each eligible family will receive a direct payment of up to $330 per child. The State has already begun sending checks to eligible taxpayers, with all checks expected to be sent by the end of August.

The Empire State Child Credit is a refundable tax credit for income-qualified New Yorkers with children. In 2023, Governor Hochul and the State Legislature expanded the Empire State Child Credit to include children under four, benefitting an estimated 600,000 additional children per year. Earlier this year, the more than 1 million families eligible for the Empire State Child Credit began to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits based on their 2023 tax filings.

Delivering Financial Relief to Working New Yorkers

Governor Hochul and the State Legislature have delivered an unprecedented level of financial support to low- and moderate-income New Yorkers over the last two years. More than $2.6 billion has been provided through supplemental payment and savings programs to millions of New York taxpayers since 2022.

This includes the 2022 homeowner tax rebate credit, the 2022 supplemental Earned Income Tax Credit and Empire State Child Credit payments, the 2022 gas tax suspension, the 2023 expansion of the Empire State Child Credit and the latest round of Empire State Child Credit supplemental payments.

Helping More Working Families Pay for Child Care

Governor Hochul recently launched ny.gov/childcare – a digital portal to help make free or low-cost child care more accessible to eligible families statewide through New York State’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). This new initiative follows a historic $1.8 billion state and federal investment in CCAP secured by Governor Hochul in the FY25 Enacted Budget. CCAP covers more than 90 percent of market rate child care costs for most eligible families, with most families of four paying no more than $15 per week for child care.

The Governor previously worked with the Legislature to overhaul the child care system and make historic, one-of-a-kind investments, including a four-year, $7 billion commitment to improving the child care assistance program; expanding income eligibility for child care assistance to more than half of young children in New York; increasing state reimbursement rates to providers to expand the number of programs from which families can choose; investing $50 million to establish a child care capital program; investing $343 million to stabilize programs at risk of closure and support the child care workforce; and investing $15.6 million to expand child care to all SUNY and CUNY campuses.