Over $200 million in federal funding will provide low-income children with meals this summer.
“Our kids need healthy, nutritious food to grow and thrive,” Governor Hochul said. “This new federal funding will be a critical lifeline for families struggling to make ends meet.”
Governor Hochul made the announcement Thursday that the state has opted into the US Department of Agriculture’s Summer EBT program. In an effort to reduce hunger and food insecurity, the program will give eligible families $120 per child during the summer months to provide food for them.
Roughly two million New York children are expected to qualify.
The USDA and New York will split the administrative costs 50/50. Eligibility information is expected in the coming months.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “No child should have to worry about having access to healthy, nutritious meals when school is out of session for the summer. We know that hunger never takes a vacation, and thanks to the Summer EBT initiative, over 2 million children across New York who rely on school meals during the year will get the assistance they need while on summer break. I am proud to help deliver this more than $200 million in federal funding to ensure our low-income families have access to healthy food year-around, and I commend Governor Hochul for her commitment to combatting food insecurity in communities across the Empire State.”
New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Acting Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “We are grateful to Governor Hochul for recognizing the importance of our agency operating Summer EBT. This program will help us ensure that students whose families rely on school meals during the year can continue to access healthy foods when school is out of session for the summer by simply using an EBT card to purchase food.”
