CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A federal program that helped nourish hundreds of thousands of Tennessee children over the summer is at risk of expiring in the state.
That’s unless Governor Bill Lee renews it — which he has indicated he does not plan to do.
Tennessee Senator Jeff Yarbro says Summer EBT was meant to keep many Tennessee children fed during those summer months, and he is now questioning Governor Lee’s decision to not opt into the program.
For some reason, the governor and state, are turning down food for 700,000 children, and that like thing we all that’s being done in our name.
The U.S. Agriculture Department, which oversees Summer EBT, says nearly 21 million children across the country benefited from the program this past summer.
It is similar to SNAP. Families receive 40 dollars per eligible child, per summer month. That’s $120 on electronic benefits transfer cards that low-income families can use to buy groceries when the school year ends.
Initially this program was a temporary relief measure during the pandemic.
States must opt into the federally funded program for children to receive the summer grocery credits. Some states have now declined to participate, citing administrative costs that partially come from state budgets, plus existing food programs that leaders say supply adequate nutrition when school is out.
But Senator Yarbro says we can’t just rely on Food Banks.
Food banks from across the state who are experiencing greater demand and getting less support, like we know that other states are supporting those food banks more, and you know it’s going to be up to us and as as citizens to go and help people.
Tennessee was enrolled in Summer EBT for just 1 year in the summer of 2024.
For next summer, Tennessee is one of about a dozen states set to potentially turn down a combined $1.14 billion in federal funding to feed 9.5 million children.
The Food Research & Action Center, an anti-hunger advocacy organization, is urging Gov. Bill Lee and others to reconsider.
If we’re not going to step up to the plate and help the children of Tennessee from our own budget, if we’re not coordinating the charitable giving to ensure that these kids get to eat, then I genuinely don’t understand how there could be a logical case.
The Food Research & Action Center says the program also gives Tennessee a economic boost, saying, “Tennessee could expect an economic impact anywhere from about 115 million to over 139 million.. from Summer EBT benefits in summer 2025.”
Families get into a place where they just can’t pay all the bills and do the groceries about at the end of the month. And so providing a little bit of extra assistance that’s not at no cost to Tennessee.
The deadline to opt back into the program — which did not happen — was Saturday.
发表回复