Iowa will not participate in federal summer meal program for low-income children

[TexasTowelie]

The Iowa Departments of Education and Health and Human Services notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture that Iowa will not participate in a program that provides additional food assistance for children during the summer, the state announced Friday.

The two Iowa departments, alongside Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, released a statement that they plan on “enhancing and expanding already existing childhood nutrition programs” instead of participating in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children program in 2024.

The program, also known as Summer EBT, provides families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school with an EBT card allowing them to purchase $40 of food per child each month when school is not in session.

In the release, the Iowa officials criticized the Summer EBT program for not having a “strong nutrition focus,” and said the program would cost Iowa $2.2 million, as states are required to cover part of the program’s administrative costs.

Read more: https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/12/22/iowa-will-not-participate-in-federal-summer-meal-program-for-low-income-children/

[jimfields33]

1. The state has their own program focused on nutrition

Seems a win-win for parents who won’t have to drive to school to get the food everyday.

[TexasTowelie]

2. If the money can be used for nutrition rather than administrative expenses,

then I can understand the reluctance for the state to maintain a program that only operates about 3 months per year.

[jimfields33]

3. Yep.

I just think a lunch program makes it harder for parents. Give them state money to buy good nutritional food at their convenience. If this is a success, hopefully it will go nationwide. Parents are busy enough without having to run to school back and forth everyday.

[ColinC]

4. Sounds like a better program entirely then the federal one

[duckworth969]

5. heartless bastards