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New EBT program to help feed children
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin said it has seen the largest increase in childhood hunger within the last year. A new program hopes to change that.
MILWAUKEE - Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin said it’s seen the largest increase in childhood hunger within the last year.
A new program hopes to change that.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (Summer EBT), making sure kids who rely on school means don’t go hungry during summer break.
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"I know what it’s going to do for families who have kids that are looking for enough meals to get," said Matt Stienstra, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Programs.
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin's Director of Strategic Partnerships and Programs Matt Stienstra
He said the state has to formally note its participation in February. Once that becomes official, the program will take effect in June.
Then, qualifying families with kids will get up to $140 to spend on groceries during summer break.
"We work with a lot of families, and one of the toughest things with every parent that we work with/goes through, is thinking about how they are going to be able to get food for their kids," Stienstra said.
Stienstra said one out of every five children in the Milwaukee area do not know where their next meal will come from.
"What Summer EBT is going to do is make sure those families have a little extra money to go grocery shopping with over the course of the summer, so that we see fewer families needing to use food pantries."
Stienstra said it won’t solve childhood hunger, but it will certainly help, with the potential to reach 400,000 kids across the state.
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"We all want to make sure we get kids and communities that thrive," he said.
In order to qualify for the program, parents have to fill out a "free and reduced" application that’s sent home by their child’s school district every fall.