Is the Summer EBT program provided by tribal nations available to both non-native and native students?

The Summer EBT program, which combats child hunger during the summer break by providing families with $120 in grocery benefits per eligible child, is available to both Native American and non-Native students who meet the eligibility requirements. 

Though Oklahoma opted out of Summer EBT in 2024, the program is available through a partnership between Hunger Free Oklahoma, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Cherokee Nation, Choctaw Nation, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe. 2025 eligibility is restricted to students attending school within their reservations. 

Eligibility requires participation in the school Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program, meeting the income guidelines for said program, or participation in SNAP, WIC, SoonerCare, Food Distribution on Indian Reservation, or TNAF. 

Compared to nonparticipants, participants in the 2024 Summer EBT program–offered by the Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Muscogee Nations–reported lower rates of household food insecurity by 17% and a 25% higher rate of satisfactory access to fruits and vegetables.