Georgia Democrats are urging Gov. Brian Kemp to sign the state up to participate in a federal program they say could help feed over 1 million students next summer ahead of a preliminary Thursday deadline, but the governor’s office says it has questions about the program’s sustainability.
According to the USDA, just over 17% of U.S. households with children experienced food insecurity in 2022. Experts say school meals can provide kids in need with healthy meals, priming them to perform academically and reducing pressure on the family budget.
The summer EBT program, or SUN Bucks, is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program designed to continue those benefits during the summer break. It provides families with school-age children $120 to buy groceries when school is out. Families in participating states who receive other federal benefits are automatically enrolled, and they can use the money for things like meat, fruits and vegetables, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, while items like pre-cooked hot meals, cleaning supplies and pet food are prohibited.
The state would be on the hook for half of the program’s administrative costs, an estimated $4.5 million.
Kemp, a Republican, declined to sign the state up for the program this summer. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service “strongly encourages” participating states to submit an operations plan by Aug. 15, though the agency will accept signups through Jan. 1. Georgia Democrats are hoping to convince him to change his mind ahead of that early deadline – or to exact a political toll if he doesn’t.
Comments