DeSantis administration officials haven’t said whether the state will again reject a federal program that gives low-income families money for groceries during the summer.
More than 2 million kids in the state could again miss out on the SUN Bucks program, or summer EBT, if the Florida Department of Children and Families doesn’t tell the federal government by Jan. 1 that it plans to administer it, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.
Low-income families received $40 per month per school-aged child in a food assistance debit card through the program, but Florida could be among 12 states skipping the program next summer. While the feds are responsible for the funds families receive, Florida would have to chip in 50% of the administrative costs.
DCF officials did not reply when the Florida Phoenix asked whether the agency would run the program next year, and the governor’s office did not immediately respond to the Phoenix’s request for comment.
Louisiana reversed course last year, opting to administer the program months after declining to participate. Meanwhile, in Florida, anti-hunger, faith, and child advocacy groups are trying to pressure the DeSantis administration to accept the federal dollars amounting to $259 million.
Florida Policy Institute is running a letter campaign asking lawmakers to accept SUN Bucks. People have sent more than 1,000 letters, according to the platform staging the campaign.
“There is absolutely no reason for state policymakers to pass up SUN Bucks dollars, a program that benefits children in families struggling to put food on the table,” FPI CEO Sadaf Knight wrote in a press release Wednesday.
“When schools are closed over the summer, food insecurity rises for children because they don’t have ready access to the nutritious meals they would typically receive at school. The SUN Bucks program is a lifeline to families in other states dealing with high food prices — Florida children deserve to not be hungry in the summer, too.”
Sen. President Ben Albritton said Monday that he was open to a conversation next year with Gov. Ron DeSantis about summer federal programs to feed kids. Albritton said he and Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson were working on proposals tackling kids’ food insecurity for the next legislative session starting in March.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
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This article appears in Dec 19-25, 2024.