Closed for Winter Break!
After School Matters offices are closed for Winter Break from December 24 - January 2.
To receive this benefit, teens must enter their Ventra Transit ID in the application. The Ventra Transit ID (a 12-digit number that begins with either 1100 or 1101) is not printed on Ventra cards and will need to be looked up.
Funds will be loaded as a weekly lump sum before the start of each program week through July 4 for wage-earning programs or July 18 for stipend-earning programs. Participating teens will be charged the full fare amount on all CTA busses and trains this summer unless they are enrolled in summer school.
You must enter your card information in the summer program application by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 to be eligible for the maximum days of transit support for your program schedule.
To find your Ventra Transit ID (a 12-digit number that begins with either 1100, 1101, or 1102), visit VentraChicago.com or open the Ventra app.
After School Matters will load money directly onto your Ventra card if you are enrolled in a program and entered your Ventra Transit ID in the application.
After School Matters will usually add money on Thursday or Friday before your program week starts. ASM will send you an email when we add money to Ventra cards.
Check your Ventra card balance at VentraChicago.com or on the Ventra app to see if money was added. If you don’t have an account, open one today to begin checking your balance.
Most ASM teens will still need to add $0.75 per train or bus ride to their card ($1.50 per program day).
To figure out how much money you need to add to your card, add your weekly round-trip fare and then subtract one of these amounts from your fare*:
My ASM Program Meets | ASM |
3 days per week | $10.50 to my card |
4 days per week | $14.00 to my card |
5 days per week | $17.50 to my card |
*Note: The week of June 30 will be shorter because Friday, July 4 is a non-program day, and teens may receive less funds that week because of the holiday.
You’re entering your Ventra card number not your Ventra Transit ID. Your Ventra Transit ID is not printed on your Ventra card and will need to be looked up.
To find your Ventra Transit ID (a 12-digit number that begins with either 1100, 1101, or 1102), visit VentraChicago.com or open the Ventra app.
CTA only offers student transit fares during the summer months if you are enrolled in summer school.
After School Matters is loading money onto your card to pay for a portion of your fare up to the first stipend date, but you will be charged full fare all summer by CTA.
If your card was registered to an account, contact Ventra at 1-800-NOW-VENTRA to ask that your card balance be transferred to a new card. If your card was not registered, you will not be able to transfer funds from your old card to your new card. If you had a CPS card, you need to contact the school you will attend in the fall to receive a new one.
After School Matters does not have Ventra cards to give to teens. If you plan to use CTA busses and trains to get to your summer program, you will need a Ventra card.
You can reach out to the school you will attend in the fall to receive a CPS Ventra card or buy a card from Ventra online or in-person at a CTA train station, drugstore, or other retailer. You can find a place to buy a Ventra card here. Then enter your Ventra Transit ID number in the application before the deadline on June 10.
Every teen who is enrolled in an in-person ASM program during Summer 2024 trip is eligible for Ventra support.