Lincoln, NE – The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is sending out its second issuance of Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits.
Throughout the 2025 Summer EBT period, households with eligible school-age children can receive assistance in buying groceries with the program’s second year of operation. A one-time payment of $120 will be issued for each eligible child, intended to cover the three summer months at $40 a month.
The second issuance will be sent to eligible students as reported by school districts and any new eligibility determinations through public assistance benefits and Summer EBT applications.
Summer EBT cards will be mailed to eligible families using their registered address with DHHS or their child’s school. Once families receive the Summer EBT card, it must be activated using the instructions mailed with the card.
Eligible families will have 122 days, or four months, to use Summer EBT benefits. The 122-day count begins the day after benefits are issued. If benefits are not used within 122 days, funds will be returned to the federal government and cannot be reissued.
Summer EBT benefits can be used to purchase food at grocery stores, online food retailers, and farmer’s markets that accept SNAP EBT. To use the activated card at an approved retailer:
- Select “EBT.”
- Swipe the card.
- Enter your private PIN.
Additional issuances will be announced and sent out on June 5, June 26, July 17, August 12, and September 9.
Please allow 7-10 business days for the card to arrive in the mail. If you need a replacement Summer EBT card, the following options are available:
- Via EBT Edge (if your address hasn’t changed) by calling 877-247-6328.
- You will need to report the card as lost/stolen/damaged.
- When it asks for a date of birth, please use the child’s date of birth that activated the card.
- For the social security number, please enter “0000.”
- You will be transferred to a customer service representative. When speaking to the customer service representative, you can provide your account number if you know it.
- Complete the SEBT replacement card request via this link: https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/SEBT-Card-Replacement.aspx.
- Contact DHHS
- Via email at DHHS.SEBT@nebraska.gov; or,
- Via phone at 1-800-383-4278 and selecting option 5.
For more information on the program or to make an application, please visit https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Summer-EBT.aspx.
