Children’s summer food debuts despite Republican states opting out
one USDA initiative The program that fed hungry kids during the long summer months is essentially over, and despite some hiccups, advocates are calling it a success — and the federal government and many states are already working to revive the permanent program in 2025.
Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program – or Summer EBIT Pension – have Present in 37 statesThis year, the District of Columbia and multiple territories and tribal nations. Advocates say that while the program has faced its fair share of challenges, especially considering its first year of implementation, the program has become an important resource for the program. Fighting summer hunger in children.
Summer EBT, also known as sun buckswhich provides a $120 per child grocery purchase benefit to low-income families with school-age children. Children automatically enroll in school Summer EBIT Pension If enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF; or the Indian Reservation Food Distribution Program, under U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Students may also be automatically enrolled if their school offers the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and their family qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals, according to the USDA. most Application deadlines by state This summer’s benefits have passed and many people have already paid their summer benefits.
USDA spokesman Allan Rodriguez said it’s too early to tell how many children have received services through the program so far this summer, but based on data from participating states, territories and tribes, An estimated 21 million children are eligible to receive service benefits.
‘Critical support for families’
Kelsey Boone, senior child nutrition policy analyst at the Food Research and Action Center, told States Newsroom, “As with any new program, summer EBT has its challenges.”
The national nonprofit organization works to reduce poverty-related hunger through research, advocacy and policy solutions.
“This includes tight implementation timelines, logistical complexities and the need to increase awareness among eligible families,” Boone said.
Despite these challenges, Boone said the program is “absolutely worthwhile” and “provides critical support to families by ensuring children have access to nutritious food during the summer, filling the gap when school meals are insufficient.”
NE Families Warning: Time is up to use food aid through once-controversial Summer 2024 EBT card
“We’re still in the implementation process, so we don’t have hard statistics yet on how these plans will actually roll out,” Boone said.
She added, “Some states have had to go back to the USDA and ask for … higher amounts of benefits because they are streamlining certification or automatically providing benefits to more students than expected, and that’s a very big problem.
Boone pointed out Some states have been postponed in release benefit“That means some families won’t receive benefits until September or even October or November.”
Still, Boone said that while access to benefits is important during the critical summer months when school meal programs are not available, “it would be helpful regardless.”
More than a dozen states opt out
But 13 states — all with Republican governors — Choose not to participate in the program this yearincluding Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Multiple Tribal Nations in Oklahoma Although the state has opted out, it is still participating.
Rodriguez said the department expects more states and tribes to offer SUN Bucks next year.
If states plan to participate, they must submit a notice of intent by January 1 Summer EBIT Pension By 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. alabama has Millions of dollars in grants Funding for next summer’s program.
“We recognize that launching a new program on a short notice is not an easy task,” Rodriguez said, adding that “potential challenges may include making systemic changes, identifying adequate personnel and ensuring financial resources to cover project management, specifically (states) being responsible for 50% of the administrative costs associated with operating the program.
Rodriguez added that the USDA is “committed to working closely with all states, U.S. territories and eligible tribes to support our shared goal of ensuring children receive vital nutrients through SUN Bucks during the summer.”
“It’s very frustrating for people who feel left out,” said Justin King, policy director at Propel, a fintech company that helps low-income Americans track the balance of electronic benefit transfers like summer EBT through an app. and disappointed because their states have chosen not to participate this year.
The company, owns Working with the Biden Administrationserving more than 5 million households every month.
“The biggest takeaway from summer EBT is that while there may inevitably be some issues and challenges that arise, summer EBT can work and it does make a difference for the families it serves,” King said.
“The feedback we’ve received from families who have received benefits this year has been overwhelmingly positive, saying it has made a real difference to their ability to keep their children healthy and fed over the summer.”
Get the morning’s top stories delivered to your inbox
subscription
