|
|
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
In this edition:
- Summer grocery help is back!
- Protect your EBT benefits this summer
- The Summer EBT Call Center is open through Sept. 30, 2025
- Feed your family with this simple kid-approved pasta bake dish!
|
|
On May 22, 2025, 341,504 children received 2025 Summer EBT benefits, totaling over 40 million dollars in additional grocery benefits for families to spend in their communities. Summer EBT gives families money to help buy groceries during the summer when school is out. Each eligible student can get $120 for food over the summer. Healthy eating throughout the summer helps students grow strong and be prepared when the school year starts back.
“When school doors close for the summer, the need for regular, healthy meals doesn’t disappear. Last year, the summer EBT program bridged a critical gap for thousands of Oregon families, helping to replace those essential 10 meals per child, per week, that they receive when school is in session,” said Dr. Charlene Williams, Director of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). “We are proud to continue this partnership with ODHS to not only feed children, but to nurture their potential during crucial developmental months. Our continued commitment ensures that summer can be a season of growth and opportunity for all children, regardless of their economic circumstances.”
As the 2025 Summer EBT program begins, we would love it if you could share materials with community organizations, schools, businesses and families you are connected with, to help us reach our goal of issuing benefits to 375,000 children this summer!
Please share the articles in this newsletter, the new 2025 Summer EBT social media toolkit and Summer EBT flyers in multiple languages you can download at sebt.oregon.gov
Your school-age child may automatically qualify if:
-
Your family gets SNAP, TANF, or Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) and meets income rules.
-
Your child attended a school with the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) and qualifies for free or reduced-price meals.
-
Your child is in foster care, part of a migrant education program, experiencing houselessness, in a qualified Head Start, or part of the Food Program on Indian Reservations.
Your child may be eligible by application if:
-
Your family meets the income requirements for free or reduced-price meals at school, and
-
Your child attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP).
What else should you know?
-
If you got Summer EBT in 2024 through an approved application, you don’t need to apply again. Your family received benefits on May 22, 2025.
-
If you are not automatically eligible for benefits, please apply by Sept. 3, 2025. You can apply now using a paper application. An online application is available after May 30, 2025. Go to sebt.oregon.gov for details.
-
You’ll get the money on an Oregon EBT card, which you can use at most grocery stores, farmers markets, and other places that accept EBT.
Need help or want to apply?
-
Call the Oregon Summer EBT Call Center at 1-833-673-7328, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time.
|
|
-
Freeze your card between uses. When you’re not using your EBT card, freeze the card for extra protection. Simply unfreeze it when you’re ready to make a purchase. Visit the ebtEDGE website or use the mobile app and find "Freeze Card" under "Account Services.
-
Block out-of-state and online purchases. You can block these purchases to protect your card from unauthorized use. Visit the ebtEDGE website or use the mobile app and find "Protect My Account" under "Account Services." You can remove blocks at any time.
-
Monitor your EBT account activity. Make a habit to check your account regularly for any unusual charges. If you see a charge you didn’t make, report it immediately. Cancel your card and call the replacement line at 855-328-6715 or go to an ODHS office.
|
|
Did you receive your Summer EBT benefits, but the amount was different than you expected?
Are you wondering when you will receive your Summer EBT benefits this year?
Are you unsure whether your child is eligible for Summer EBT this year?
The Summer EBT Call Center is now open through Sept. 30, 2025 to answer your questions.
-
Call Center number: 1-833-ORE-SEBT (1-833-673-7328)
-
The Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., PDT.
-
Call Center agents are able to assist customers in English and Spanish. For other language needs an interpreter service will be provided.
|
|
With the cost of groceries on the rise, stretching your Summer EBT dollars has never been more important. Try this 6-ingredient pasta bake for dinner to help make the most of your summer EBT dollars this summer!
“This recipe is truly kid-approved. I made this pasta bake for my family the other night. My six-year-old daughter asked for seconds, which rarely happens. Feeding my family a meal they enjoy felt effortless with this dish. “ - Kathryn Garland, Program Integrity Specialist, ODHS Summer EBT Program
This will serve six. You'll need:
1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (24-ounce) jar of tomato sauce
1 (16-ounce) container 2% or whole milk cottage cheese
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Italian blend cheese
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta for about 10 minutes or 1 to 2 minutes before the cooking time recommended on the package. The pasta will still be firm. Drain the pasta into a colander set in the sink.
In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook it, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. If you'd like, drain the excess fat.
Stir in pasta sauce and cook until warm, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine.
Pour half of the mixture into a 13x9-inch casserole. Make dollops of cottage cheese on top, then cover with half of the shredded cheese. Spread the remaining pasta on top and finish with the remaining shredded cheese evenly scattered on top.
Bake until bubbly and cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Find more healthy recipes that are tasty, easy and low-cost from Food Hero.
|
|
|
|
|
