There will be food stamps for almost 21 million kids this summer, the US Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday.
Many people have chosen to use the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program, or Summer EBT, which is a new permanent government program. There are 35 states, all 5 U.S. Territories, and 4 groups that have chosen to join. The states that didn’t choose to join this program will be able to do so in the summer of 2025.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke out about the new program and said, “They shouldn’t go hungry just because they can’t get healthy school meals in the summer.”
The USDA had tried out this scheme for a few years before, in December 2022, they said it would be in place permanently in 2024. A study from October from the USDA said that 17 million households in the US had trouble getting enough food in 2022. This number reached 13.5 million in 2021.
Families who participate in this program will get $40 for each child in their home over the summer. The money will be put on a card. This card can be used at any shop that takes regular SNAP benefits.
The USDA says that they will give more than $2.5 billion in food stamps to kids who need them in 2024.
When asked about the new program, Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said, “I think we’re seeing a lot of pressure on households in terms of rent or other housing costs, all of which are hitting very tight household budgets.” This helps solve the problem by giving parents the power to buy more food, including some healthy choices.
Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming were some of the states that didn’t choose to join. The only states that said they didn’t opt-in were Nebraska, Iowa, and Oklahoma. These states said they didn’t because they already have programs in place that feed kids during the summer.
That being said, every state already has a Summer Food Service Program that sets up free meal places for kids.
