(Portland, OR)  --  A new USDA program aims to reduce child hunger in Oregon, over the summer. Summer EBT rolls out later this month in Oregon. "It’s a new federal food benefits program to help families buy food for their school aged children," says Jake Sunderland, with Oregon’s Department of Human Services.

Sunderland says summer can be an especially difficult time for kids struggling with food insecurity, "And so this program is intended to bridge that gap. To make up for the increase in food expenses when children are at home during the summer instead of being at school where they could get access to free or reduced-cost meals."

He says it’s similar to the extra food benefits doled out for low-income families during COVID-19, "We did issue Summer Pandemic EBT benefits, but this is a new and unique program. And, the family it’s serving is a smaller population than the pandemic-era programs." For the new program, eligibility is much more limited, "Essentially, households with children that are already participating in SNAP or TANF or OHP, households with children in foster care, children that attend schools that are enrolled in the national school lunch program." Qualifying families will receive a one-time payment of $120 per eligible child to buy groceries. 

Sunderland says, "The best thing to do is to visit SEBT.Oregon.gov to sign up for a notification that will let you know when you can apply and complete the application." Some households may be automatically enrolled.