Reminder: Oregon Summer EBT funds will expire soon for many local families
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon families who received Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer funds have 122 days from issuance to spend their benefits before they expire. For families who automatically received benefits on June 5th, 2026, those funds will expire on October 4th, 2026.
The Summer EBT program is jointly administered by the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Department of Education.
Eligible families receive $120 in benefits per child for food purchases.
In 2026, the program provided meals to approximately 350,000 children across Oregon.
For families who received benefits after June 5th, 2026, the funds will expire exactly 122 days from their individual issuance dates.
State officials encourage families to check their balances and spend remaining benefits before they expire. Summer EBT funds can be used to buy food at participating grocery stores, farmers markets, community supported agriculture farms, and farm stands.
Families can stretch their food budget through the Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches Summer EBT spending on fresh produce at a one-to-1 ratio.
For every $2 of Summer EBT benefits spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, families receive $2 in Double Up Food Bucks coupons. For example, spending $20 in Summer EBT benefits at a participating farmers market yields $20 in coupons to purchase additional eligible produce.
State officials advise families to keep their Oregon EBT cards, as the Summer EBT program will return in 2027 and retaining the card will help benefits process faster next year.
Paper applications for the 2027 program are available in 10 languages and can be submitted at any time by emailing summerebtinfo@odhs.oregon.gov.
The Summer EBT call center closed for the year at 5:00 p.m. on September 25th, 2026.
Families with questions can still receive assistance by emailing summerebtinfo@odhs.oregon.gov or visiting sebt.oregon.gov.
The Summer EBT program will return in 2027 and Oregon families can submit paper applications for next year’s benefits at any time.
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