Attention RI SNAP Beneficiaries Please be aware there is currently fraudulent activity taking place in other states affecting SNAP Benefits on EBT cards. While we do not believe there is any activity of this nature currently taking place in Rhode Island, please be advised you will never be asked to sign up for instant cash benefits or be asked to provide personal information, your card number, or PIN. If you ever receive a call, email, text, or social media invitation to do so, never click any links or provide the requested information.Please know, ebtEdge will never request this type of information from you. Please remember to protect yourself by changing your PIN frequently – using a different PIN each time – or by freezing your card. If you are uncertain about or confused by a suspicious inquiry, please contact DHS and call the EBT customer service line at 1-888-979-9939 to change your PIN. You can find more information on how best to protect yourself from possible SNAP-related fraud here.
Call Center Update DHS offices will be closed July 4 in observance of the holiday. To help ensure customers have ample opportunity to connect with DHS staff the week of July 4, the Call Center will adjust its schedule to take incoming calls Monday-Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Call Center will return to its normal schedule the following week.
Did you know. . . Document Scanning Centers can help you open or update your case quicker? If you only need to share key information to your case, consider visiting our offices at 125 Holden Street or 249 Roosevelt Avenue and you could have your case updated in as little as 10 minutes. More information is available online here.
Summer EBT Update This summer, families with school-age children who were income-eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the 2023-2024 school year will receive SUN Bucks (formerly Summer EBT), a $120 dollar benefit per child that can be used to buy groceries. Families will either see the benefit added to their SNAP EBT card or to a separate SUN Bucks card that will be mailed this month. Benefits will be available to use beginning July 1. If you have questions about SUN bucks, please call United Way of Rhode Island at 2-1-1. Additional information about SUN buck can be found here: https://dhs.ri.gov/sun-bucks
Translation Services Available If you are seeking information about DHS programs and services in a language other than English, translation services are available to you at no cost. Persons with disabilities requiring another form of communication, such as auxiliary aids for hearing and the visually impaired, can inform DHS about their needs so appropriate accommodations can be made.
SUN Bucks Starting July 2024, the Rhode Island Department of Human Services will be offering SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, to eligible school-age kids. The SUN Bucks program is a tool in the fight against child hunger. Families with eligible school-age children will receive $120 per child during the summer for groceries. Through this new program, in partnership with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, Rhode Island is helping ensure that children continue to have access to nutritious food when school is out in the summertime. With SUN Bucks, Rhode Island is helping children get the nutrition they need to grow and learn during the summer, helping bring More Summer Smiles to our youngest learners. Who is Eligible? You may be eligible for SUN Bucks if any of the following criteria apply to your household: Your household is receiving SNAP, Rhode Island Works, or Medicaid benefits (if your household income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty level) and you have a child in your household who is ages 6 – 18. Your child attends a school participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program and meets the eligibility requirements for free and reduced-price school meals. You submit an online or paper SUN Bucks application and your household income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. Enrolling in SUN Bucks Currently, school-age children (ages 6 – 18) receiving SNAP, RI Works,or Medicaid (if income eligible) will automatically receive SUN Bucks benefits in the summer. Additionally, families that submitted a school meal benefit application or an alternate income form to their schools and were determined income-eligible for free or reduced priced school meals will automatically receive benefits. All other families that believe they meet the income criteria for free or reduced-price school meals can complete a SUN bucks application to determine if they are eligible for the benefits. You can find the SUN Bucks application below. When Will I receive SUN Bucks Benefits? If you have an eligible child receiving SNAP or RI Works, DHS will issue SUN Bucks benefits to your existing EBT card beginning sometime in July 2024. If you have an eligible child that is not on one of these programs, a SUN Bucks/EBT card will be mailed to you. Benefits will be issued in multiple rounds throughout July and August. Online Application - Coming Soon The SUN Bucks application will be available online for anyone who believes they meet the eligibility criteria, but did not receive the benefit through the automated process. The criteria for eligibility is outlined in the FAQ document. To apply, households can submit a paper application available below or apply online when the form is available. Important Resources Please find additional SUN Bucks resources below. Here, you will find application forms, FAQs, and more. Please check this section frequently for updates. FAQs Summer EBT FAQ PUBLIC (rev. 6.26.24) PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Summer EBT FAQ PUBLIC (Español) PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Summer EBT FAQ PUBLIC (Português) PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes SUN Bucks Application SUN Bucks Application (English- updated) PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Summer EBT application instructions PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Important Notice Public Notice Informing the Public about the Proposed Summer EBT Waivers FNS has determined that Rhode Island must submit a request seeking waiver approval in order to administer the Summer EBT as planned. FNS has authority to waive regulatory provisions for Summer EBT, when certain conditions are met, consistent with Section 12(l) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. 1760(l). Waiver(s) Requested: 7 CFR 292.15(c)(1)(i)(A) Benefit issuance. For children who can be streamline certified or who have an approved Summer EBT application on file, benefits must be issued and available for participants to use 7-14 calendar days before the start of the summer operational period. 7 CFR 292.15(c)(1)(i)(B) Benefit issuance. For eligible children who apply after the summer operational period begins, benefits must be issued and available to spend not later than 15 operational days after a complete application is received by the Summer EBT agency. 7 CFR 292.12(f)(1) Income applications. The Summer EBT agency must notify (or place notification in the mail) eligible households of a child's approved status within 15 operational days of receipt of a complete application. 7 CFR 292.12(g) Denied applications and the notice of denial. The Summer EBT agency must provide written notice to each household denied benefits within 15 operational days of receipt of a complete application. 7 CFR 292.13(f) Timely certifications. Summer EBT agencies must follow-up with a household that submits an incomplete application within 10 operational days of receipt of the application.