Summer EBT can be a Bipartisan win for kids

It’s time we stop making food a partisan issue.

Food pantries across the State are busier than ever, breaking records every week. Families are struggling. Food prices continue to soar. School meal debt is piling up.

Those of us working or volunteering with food pantries, churches, and other private nonprofits are doing everything in our power to ensure that our neighbors have access to the food they need and deserve. And yet, despite our best efforts, we are falling short. We're running out of food. We are understaffed and underfunded. Families, children, and older adults are not getting their nutritional needs met by the private sector — especially in rural Iowa. Public safety net programs like Summer EBT — which would provide $120 in nutrition benefits to 245,000 Iowa children during the summer — offer vital, irreplaceable support.

I am deeply disappointed in Gov. Kim Reynolds’ baffling decision to opt out of the Summer EBT program. With an annual investment of $2.2 million (remember, we have a $2 billion surplus!), Iowa would receive $29 million per year from the federal government to fund a program proven to reduce childhood food insecurity, improve access to healthy foods, and provide an economic boost to local communities.

I agree with the governor that USDA Summer Meal Sites play an essential role in reducing childhood hunger. However, meal sites are not an adequate substitute for Summer EBT, as they simply do not and cannot reach every child that needs food. The meal site we operate in Coralville serves about 50 kids per day, but we know there are an estimated 800-plus children in our local community that are food insecure. Furthermore, many counties and municipalities in Iowa simply do not have private or public entities with the infrastructure to facilitate meal sites.

Reynolds’ decision perplexed even some in her own party, as some Republican lawmakers in Iowa have historically voiced support for Summer EBT. Sadly, because of her rogue decision, it is now too late for the State to reverse course on Summer EBT for 2024. As a result, Iowa children and families will miss out on vital food and an increased burden will be placed on food pantries to meet the need.

Right now, we have an opportunity to urge legislators from both sides of the aisle to commit to supporting this program in 2025 and beyond. If you agree that food should not be a partisan issue, please visit www.iowahungercoalition.org/summer-ebt and consider signing a petition to reinstate Summer EBT in Iowa. While here, you can also learn more about the Iowa Hunger Coalition’s policy priorities for 2024, which are focused on addressing the root causes of hunger. With your help, we can secure a no-brainer win for Iowa kids and families.

For the past 11 years, John Boller has served as Executive Director with the Coralville Community Food Pantry, an anti-hunger organization that provides weekly food assistance to those living in the greater Coralville community. He also serves as a Board Member with the Iowa Hunger Coalition.