Indiana and Tennessee opted out of Summer EBT, which gives families grocery support when schools close for summer.

By Bryce Covert for ProPublica

Last year, Stephanie Couch had some help getting through the summer months when her two daughters, ages 11 and 14, were out of school. Both girls receive free breakfast and lunch at school, but those meals disappear during the summer. In 2024, the Tennessee resident received Summer EBT — short for electronic benefit transfer — which loads $120 for each child onto a card that parents can use to buy groceries to fill that gap. “It meant a lot,” she said. She was able to buy all of the fruits and vegetables her growing children needed.

This summer looks different: While last year Tennessee and Indiana joined the Summer EBT program, also known as

See Full Page