Many families worried about the rising cost of groceries will soon receive an extra benefit to ensure that children have access to food during the school break.
During the school day, numerous students depend on free breakfast and lunch, so when summer arrives, they miss out on ten meals each week.
Food banks nationwide are bracing for an increase in demand.
“We understand that summer can be a challenging time for families,” stated Jessica Morgan, the chief programs officer at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
She noted that without school in session, children lose access to the free meal programs, which is where the summer meal programs step in.
This summer, millions of families will benefit from additional assistance.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture anticipates that approximately 21 million children will receive support through its new summer grocery benefits initiative known as Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer, or SUN Bucks in select states.
Families with qualifying school-aged children will receive $120 per child to purchase groceries during the summer from stores and farmers markets.
In 2024, 35 states, all five U.S. territories, and four tribes are participating in the program during its inaugural year.
Summer EBT is designed to complement other meal programs offered by states. For SUN Bucks specifically, children already receiving benefits like SNAP will automatically be enrolled. Other families can apply through USDA.gov and utilize the agency’s Summer Meals Site Finder to locate summer meal options for kids in their area.
In a statement to Scripps News, the USDA highlighted that when school is out, children lose access to “essential meals,” putting them at a heightened risk for hunger: “USDA has been addressing this summer hunger gap since 1968 by providing group meals to children at schools and other community sites. However, due to various obstacles, only 1 in 6 children who receive free or reduced-price school lunch participate in these group summer meals.”
The USDA anticipates more states will offer summer EBT next year.
