Food Assistance
Summer EBT 2025: What You Need to Know!
Children ages 6-16 who are directly certified through the "National School Lunch Program" automatically qualify for Summer EBT. Summer EBT is a $120 benefit per child to purchase groceries when school is not in session.
- Automatically Qualified: Students age 6-16 that received SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid between 7/1/24-9/4/25.
- Apply to Qualify: If a student doesn't automatically qualify, but household income meets the guidelines, you can apply directly.
To check if you automatically qualify for Summer EBT, click here.
To apply directly for Summer EBT, click here.
Distribution of Benefits
- Eligibility Letters: Starting June 2, 2025, eligibility letters for Summer EBT will begin to be mailed and will continue throughout the summer. These letters will take several weeks to be delivered. If you receive an eligibility letter, you will receive a benefit.
- Benefits: Benefits will begin to be available on June 18, 2025, and will continue throughout the summer.
- Each student will have their own Summer EBT card.
- If a student had a 2024 Summer EBT card, the 2025 Summer EBT will be added to that card.
- The eligibility letter will explain how each student will receive their benefit.
- To check balances, use ebtEDGE.
- Didn't receive a letter? If you do not receive an eligibility letter by August 1, 2025, please contact the Summer EBT Helpline.
- Using Your Benefits: Benefits are available for 122 days after being issued. You can use your Summer EBT card at most grocery stores and SNAP-participating retailers, just as you would with any regular SNAP EBT card. You can locate a store nearby by using this retail locator.
Questions and Troubleshooting:
- Summer EBT Helpline: 1-833-452-0096 with general questions and issues.
- ebtEDGE Helpline: 1-888-328-6399 to activate cards, ask for a replacement card to the same address, or change PIN.
Household Income Eligibility Application
The Syracuse City School District continues to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) under Child Nutrition Programs. In New York State, schools where 25% or more of students qualify for free/reduced priced school meals qualify as CEP. Under CEP, all students within the Syracuse City School District receive breakfast and lunch at no charge for the entire school year. We offer daily meal service to our students when school is in session. During the school year we provide more than 12,000 breakfasts, 15,000 lunches, 7,000 after school snacks and 2,500 suppers daily. We also offer a Summer Nutrition Program at select schools, city parks, churches and community agencies during our Summer Nutrition program.
However, for the District to continue to provide free meal services, and to receive further state and federal funding, we need each family to complete a household income eligibility form. If your children qualify, students may also receive additional benefits such as college application fee waivers, SAT and other testing fee waivers, and/or Summer EBT.
Hunger Prevention
Hunger and food insecurity are two big issues that we aim to address every day when children arrive at school. Not having enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle or having a limited availability of healthy, nutritious foods can lead to poor health including frequent stomach aches, headaches, behavioral issues and developmental delays, resulting in poor academic performance. In addition to providing free meal service to all, Food & Nutrition Services participates in multiple hunger prevention programs to combat childhood hunger in our schools.
Breakfast After the Bell:
Students who eat school breakfast have higher scores on standardized tests, lower levels of behavioral, emotional, and educational problems, higher graduation rates, and higher school attendance as evidenced by No Kid Hungry. Our “Breakfast After the Bell” program allows students to receive a free breakfast even if they arrive late to school as long as arrival is before lunch service begins.
Weekend Food Packs:
The Food & Nutrition Services Department is grateful for our key partners, Blessings in a Backpack and the Food Bank of Central New York, who provide weekend food packs to deserving students across the district. Because of their commitment schools are able to send children home with a pack of nutritious and accessible food items. Currently, nearly 2,000 students receive a food pack each weekend.
If your family could benefit from a weekend food pack, please complete the Food Assistance form and staff will add your family to the recipient list.
Gratitude Meal Kits:
In collaborate with the Office of Student Support Services and the Office of Family Engagement, and thanks to the generous support of the Food Bank of Central New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse University, the American Heart Association's Community Action Committee, and the United Way of Central New York - the Food and Nutrition Services Department regularly delivers supplemental meal kits to families during school holidays. These boxes are delivered directly to family's homes via DoorDash.
If your family could benefit from a Gratitude Meal Kit, please complete the Food Assistance form and staff will add your family to the recipient list.
Make a Donation:
Click here to donate online to Blessings in a Backpack. You may also mail a check made out to Blessings in a Backpack with Syracuse City School District Fund #1912” to Blessings in a Backpack Lockbox, P.O. Box 950291, Louisville, KY 40295.
Click here to donate online to the Food Bank of Central New York, you may list "Syracuse City School District" in the comment section if you would like the donation to support these programs directly. You may also mail a check made out to the Food Bank of Central New York with "Syracuse City School District" in the memo and mail it to Food Bank of Central New York 7066 Insterstate Island Road, Syracuse, NY 13209.
