Nearly 21 million low-income children will have guaranteed access to food this summer, thanks to a new federal program that aims to reduce childhood hunger in the holiday season.
The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, known as Summer EBT, will provide eligible families with $120 per child during the summer to purchase food at supermarkets, farmers markets and other licensed retail businesses.
This program began as a pilot project in 2011, but Congress made it permanent for Fiscal YEAR 2023.
In total, nearly $2.5 billion in food benefits are expected to be distributed.
Some 35 states have already confirmed their participation in the program, covering approximately 70 percent of eligible children.
Other states are expected to sign up by next summer.