A dozen U.S. states are considering forgoing a combined $1.14 billion in federal funding aimed at helping nearly 10 million children in need of food assistance next summer. This funding comes through the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Program, or SUN Bucks, which provides eligible families with $120 per child to purchase food during the summer months.
These states, all led by GOP governors, face a January 1 deadline to opt into the program, but currently, states such as Idaho, Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida are set to miss out on this support.
The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), a nonprofit focused on hunger relief, emphasized the importance of the program, especially during the summer when children are at risk of hunger due to the lack of school meals. FRAC’s interim president, Crystal FitzSimons, stated that the funding is a crucial opportunity for states to ensure children have access to the nutrition they need to thrive…