Mississippi again rejects millions of funds to feed low-income children over the summer months

By Lucas

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Mississippi again rejects millions of funds to feed low-income children over the summer months

Hundreds of thousands of eligible poor Mississippi children will miss out on grocery assistance this summer because the state missed the federal program’s application deadline for the second year in a row.

Families that rely on free breakfasts and lunches during the school year frequently struggle to make ends meet while also paying for additional child care and meals during the summer months.

The program gives each eligible child $40 per month in grocery assistance. It was estimated that the program would have generated $38 million for the state last year.

Mississippi, the poorest state in the country, is also the most hungry, with nearly one in every four children lacking reliable access to food.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services, which administers the program, did not respond to Mississippi Today’s multiple requests for comment on its decision to opt out. Gov.

Tate Reeves, who oversees DHS, did not respond to questions about the decision, despite previously telling news outlets that he made the decision in order to reject “attempts to expand the welfare state.”

Springboard to Opportunities will provide cash assistance to low-income families in Jackson for another summer after launching its own program last year in response to the governor’s decision not to participate in the Summer EBT program.

“Millions of families in our country experience hunger during the summer months. This initiative was launched in direct response to Mississippi’s decision to withdraw from the federal SUN Bucks program, which could have filled the hunger gap for low-income families across the state,” Sarah Stripp, the nonprofit’s director of socioeconomic wellbeing, said at a press conference at the Capitol last week.

Springboard to Opportunities served 672 children in the summer of 2024, but the Food Resource and Action Center, a national nonprofit organization working to end hunger in the United States, estimates that approximately 324,000 children in the state would be eligible for food through SUN Bucks.

Stripp asked state leaders to reconsider their decision for 2026.

Springboard to Opportunities provides summer cash assistance only to Jackson families who live in federally subsidized housing. However, the program’s success, as evidenced by a significant reduction in hunger, demonstrates the impact that a small amount of money can have on eligible families.

Michelle Howard, a Jackson mother with two young sons, applied for help from the nonprofit last summer after seeing a flyer on her door. Prior to receiving benefits, Howard described summer as stressful and anxious as she struggled to find extra money to cover meals and child care.

“We already have a set amount to work with throughout the year. “When the summer comes, we’re still working on that same little bit of money,” Howard, who owns a cleaning company, told Mississippi Today at the Capitol. “When my children are in school, I spend around $500 per month on groceries.” But when summer comes, I may need an extra $200 or $300 per month.”

SUN Bucks was developed based on the success of previous summer food assistance programs and is backed by a bipartisan group in Congress. The Biden Administration established the program to assist families in dealing with increased food costs when children are absent from school and do not receive free or reduced-price meals.

While the Mississippi Department of Education participates in other federal food programs during the summer, many children, particularly those in rural areas, do not have transportation to the meal sites.

Sade McGee, director of food services in the Yazoo County School District, reported that programs requiring students to have transportation to get meals during the summer months have low participation in her district.

Thirty-eight states, including Mississippi’s neighbors Arkansas, Louisiana, and Alabama, have enrolled in the program.

Last year, state legislators in Louisiana applied pressure and provided funding for the program’s implementation. Gov. Jeff Landry initially stated in early 2024 that the state would not participate, but a bipartisan group of lawmakers saw things differently and provided the funding required to implement the program.

According to the Illuminator, the program cost $7 million to run, with the federal government covering half of the costs.

According to David Matlock, secretary of Louisiana’s Department of Children and Family Services, the state was granted an extension and quickly implemented the program.

Matlock informed Mississippi. Today, the program’s rollout was difficult and required extensive coordination between state agencies, including the education department.

He said the state intends to continue its participation.

“Our retailers were interested in continuing this program, our families are interested in continuing this program,” he went on.

The post Mississippi again rejects millions of dollars to feed low-income children during the summer appeared first on Mississippi Today.

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