Tennessee Human Services Announces One Time Payments

The Tennessee Department of Human Services announced it will provide a $120 one-time payment directly to families in need across 13 counties through the Summer Nutrition Initiative starting Friday, June 12th, 2026.

The initiative first launched in 2025 as a state-funded effort to provide additional nutrition assistance to serve families in underserved counties.

While Giles County is not included in this one-time payment, there are local counties that are. The program will use existing EBT cards to provide the one-time payment to families.

The thirteen counties were identified through Summer Food Service Program data as having limited access to Summer Food Service Program meal sites and thus qualify to receive the one-time payment. The approved counties include, Bledsoe, Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Fentress, Hancock, Humphreys, Jackson, Lewis, Marshall, Moore, Sequatchie, and Smith. 

The one-time TN Summer Nutrition Initiative benefit is available to children who are: Age 5-18 as of May 1st, 2026, Members of an open and active SNAP and/or Families First case as of May 31st, 2026 residing in Bledsoe, Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Fentress, Hancock, Humphreys, Jackson, Lewis, Marshall, Moore, Sequatchie, and Smith counties as of May 31st, 2026.
  
Eligible households do not need to apply for this benefit. Families in the targeted counties will automatically receive the benefit on their existing EBT cards beginning June 12th, 2026.