Tag: Advocacy

I am a 2023-24 FoodCorps Alumni Advocacy Lead, and am working to increase engagement on school food policies at the local and national level.

As the Oregon representative, I am writing a short blog series on local opportunities for supporting stronger, healthier food policies in schools. Oregon’s short legislative session this February revolves around the budget, and legislators face a powerful opportunity to positively impact students food access with Summer EBT. This first post of the series explains the value and importance of this program.

When the Covid-era SNAP Emergency Allotment benefits expired in March 2023, anti-hunger advocates saw an immediate increase in the need for food assistance. Even before the expiration of the additional $90 per person that the program contributed, inflation left people struggling to afford food. When these benefits disappeared, households abruptly faced the choice of paying their rent, receiving healthcare, feeding their family, or meeting other necessary needs. Overwhelming demands on an already overburdened food banking system has led to a noticeable increase in American hunger rates.

Summer EBT (Electronic Balance Transfer)

Starting this summer, many states will have a new and valuable tool for supporting food insecure residents with the rollout of the Summer EBT program.

This program provides $40 in SNAP benefits to each child every summer month (for up to four months) for households receiving free or reduce price school lunches.

Why is this important?

Many sites that offer summer meals as an extension of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), but they often require traveling to a specific site to pick it up. For many working families this is an insurmountable hardship, even with waivers allowing children to eat offsite.

Summer EBT provides dignity and autonomy to these families. It allows them to make their own food purchases and find the options that are tasty and appropriate for their families. Guardians can access the food their kids need to eat on their schedule. While it’s important to recognize that $40/month doesn’t go far enough, it is an encouraging start.

It’s also important to recognize that the EBT format facilitates food access for all family members. Far too often, parents eat less or skip meals to keep their children fed. Giving a family more money to buy food helps everyone eat better.

The summer EBT program is federally funded but requires states to pay half of the administrative costs. Some states have declined to participate, while others scramble to find essential funding.

In my home state of Oregon, the legislative session begins February 5^th, and this short session will focus on the budget, including considering sourcing the $35 million necessary to implement Summer EBT.

Fellow Oregonians, please consider sending a message to your Congressperson letting them know why this program is important.

For non-Oregonians, investigate whether your state, Territory or Tribe is participating. 15 states have opted out.

Consider looking into any upcoming policy and funding bills for your state that may include antipoverty or antihunger resources, and let your representative know that policy change is far, far more effective at fighting hunger than any action we take individually or through charity.

The opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.

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