Fighting Summer Hunger Pangs: New Report Highlights Critical Role of Summer Feeding Programs in Combatting Child Hunger
WASHINGTON –Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released a new report on summer feeding programs, including the new Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (S-EBT) Program and its potential to effectively combat child hunger during the summer months, when children are not in school. The report underscores the need to support and expand these types of programs to bridge the gap between school years and prevent food insecurity.
“Summer nutrition programs play a crucial role in addressing the hunger challenges low-income children face, particularly during critical periods when they are out of school and lack access to nutritional meals. It is imperative to continue supporting summer nutrition programs as part of the nation’s ongoing commitment to addressing child hunger,” said Ranking Member Scott.
The introduction of the permanent and nationwide Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (S-EBT) program, also known as SUN Bucks, represents a significant advancement in addressing food insecurity nationwide. S-EBT provides grocery benefits to low-income families, allowing them to purchase nutritious food at their convenience. This approach has proven effective in reducing food insecurity by up to one-fifth and improving nutritional outcomes for children. S-EBT alongside summer meal sites provide additional support that can be key to children who are disproportionately affected by summer learning loss, also known as “summer slide.”
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At the time of this report, 37 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and two tribes signed up to offer S-EBT for the summer of 2024. The S-EBT program has the potential to deliver approximately $3.5 billion in nutrition assistance to over 29 million eligible children—underscoring the importance of S-EBT for struggling families nationwide, although some states have not chosen to opt-in to the program due to misinformed ideological concerns.
Read the full report entitled, “Fighting Summer Hunger Pangs: How Summer Feeding Programs Bridge the Nutrition Gap,” here.
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