New York State will participate in the Summer EBT program which will provide meals to two million low-income school-aged children in the state.
Governor Kathy Hochul opted the state into the U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children with more than $200 million in federal funding will be allocated to New York.
The program is aimed at reducing hunger and food insecurity among children who are unable to access free and reduced-price school meals during the summertime. Eligible families with school-age children will receive $120 per child during the summer months.
More information on eligibility and benefit issuance will be available in the coming months.
Hochul has committed to covering 50% of the administrative costs of operating the program, as required by the federal government. USDA will cover the other half.
Research has shown that providing families with summer food benefits reduces childhood hunger while promoting better nutrition. A demonstration project tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the pandemic found that Summer EBT decreased the number of kids with very low food security by one-third.
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