USDA approves Iowa summer foods pilot program
| The Agriculture Department’s Food and Nutrition Service has approved Iowa’s demonstration project providing boxes of food to children in the summer, an alternative to the Summer EBT program that was passed when President Biden was in office, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, announced today. Summer EBT — also known as Sun Bucks — provides $40 per month per child for low-income families to buy food for three summer months, but states must agree to participate in the program and manage it. Iowa has declined to participate in the Summer EBT program and applied to USDA for a demonstration project providing boxes of food. The Biden administration rejected the application, but the Trump administration has approved it. According to a news release from Reynolds, “Under the Healthy Kids Iowa Pilot Program: |
| Households must meet the federal poverty level of 185% or below AND have children ages 4-18 in their care. Households will be allowed to choose from a selection of nutritionally balanced foods each month at their local participating pantry. Foods will include fruits, vegetables, dairy items, whole grains and proteins.” |
| Reynolds’ office said the Healthy Kids Iowa program “is an alternative to the summer EBT program that serves Iowa children healthier foods at a lower cost by leveraging Iowa’s already-existing, successful network of summer feeding programs and community providers.” Iowa also receives money for summer feeding sites. In 2023-24, Iowa received over $12 million in USDA meal reimbursements for summer nutrition programs administered by the Department of Education. Reynolds said she invested an additional $900,000 last year to add 61 new meal sites in 2024, bringing the total to more than 500 access points statewide. “I want to thank Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa for her incredible leadership. With USDA’s full support, Iowa is launching a new program to provide healthy foods to low-income, school-aged children during this summer break,” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said in the news release from Reynolds’ office. “State-led innovation across all of USDA’s nutrition programs is simply the right thing to do, and we are encouraging governors across the entire country to explore creative ways to provide food for those in need while also doing right by the American taxpayer.” Reynolds’ office explained, “With the state’s summer feeding demonstration project, each family will be able to select $40 worth of fresh and nutritious food for each eligible child per month. Families will be able to choose their monthly items, respecting their preferences and cultural and dietary needs. Distribution sites across the state will offer a selection of foods that are healthy and kid-friendly. Sites will be selected in partnership with the Feeding America Foods Banks and will be established based on demonstrated need.” |
