Cherry Hill families who receive food assistance must activate a new EBT card before Tuesday, Oct. 20, when old cards stop working statewide.
New chip-enabled cards have already been mailed to households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Work First New Jersey (WFNJ). Benefits transfer automatically once the new card is activated. Anyone who has not switched over by the deadline will need to request a replacement card before they can use their benefits again.
The Food Bank of South Jersey posted an alert on X on Wednesday, Oct. 7, urging cardholders across the region to act immediately. The organization, which serves Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties, distributed nearly 20.7 million meals in 2025 through more than 300 community partners.
New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha announced the statewide rollout on Sept. 10 in a department press release. The chip cards followed a pilot in Cumberland, Essex and Mercer counties, where old cards have already been deactivated. New Jersey is among the first states in the nation to make chip-enabled EBT cards available statewide, according to the department.
The upgrade targets a specific problem. EBT card skimming, in which devices installed on payment terminals capture card data and PINs, has hit SNAP recipients nationwide. A federal program that reimbursed victims of electronically stolen benefits ended in December 2024, leaving cardholders with no way to recover stolen funds. The new chips generate a unique transaction code with each purchase, making card data harder to copy.
"Skimming targets some of our most vulnerable residents, including low-income families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities," NJ Deputy Commissioner for Social Services Michael J. Wilson said in the September announcement. "Losing benefits that cannot be replaced can be devastating."
In New Jersey, roughly 1 in 9 people face food insecurity, including 1 in 7 children, according to Camden County's food security resources page.
How to activate
Cardholders can activate their new card, create a PIN and check balances three ways:
- Online at NJFamiliesFirst.gov
- Through the ConnectEBT app, available on Apple and Google Play
- By calling customer service at 1-800-997-3333
The new card design places the cardholder's name and number on the back. An expiration date and three-digit security code have been added, but the expiration applies only to the card itself, not to benefits.
When paying, cardholders should insert the chip or tap the card instead of swiping. Cards can also be locked and unlocked through the ConnectEBT app or NJFamiliesFirst.gov when not in use.
Families not yet enrolled in SNAP can apply online, in person or by phone through their county social services agency or a SNAP Navigator at njsnap.gov.
