Illinois launches summer food assistance program
Send a link to a friend
[May 17, 2024]
By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – The state is launching a new program to provide food
assistance during the summer for families with children who qualify for
free or reduced-price meals at school.
Gov. JB Pritzker joined other state officials and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture Thursday to announce that Illinois will take part in the
federally funded Summer EBT program, which provides qualifying families
with a one-time benefit of $120 per child that can be used to buy
groceries during the summer months.
Speaking at a predominantly low-income elementary school in Springfield,
Pritzker said it’s important all year long to ensure that children have
enough food to eat.
“Food insecurity is absolutely detrimental to a child’s development,” he
said. It impacts academic performance, social function, and mental and
physical health.”
Pritzker noted the program began as a “stop-gap” measure to address the
needs of low-income families with school-age children during the
COVID-19 pandemic, when many school buildings were forced to close.
The program proved so successful in helping alleviate child hunger that
Congress acted in 2022 to make it permanent. This summer will mark the
first under the new, permanent authority.
“Summer EBT is evidence-based, meaning we know it works,” said Stacy
Dean, deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services
at USDA, which funds the program. “It’s been tested, piloted, and gone
through rigorous research to show that it reduces hunger and increases
the intake of nutritious foods (for) the kids who participate.”
The program is open to children who are also eligible for free or
reduced-price meals at school. That means they must come from households
with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level –
$47,767 for a family of three, or $57,720 for a family of four.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/May/17/images/ads/current/humanesociety_sda022411.png)
[to top of second column]
|
![](../images/051724PIX/news_b3.jpg)
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service
covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of
newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily
by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick
Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois
Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/May/17/images/ads/current/christianchildcare_lda_042224.png)
According to the most recent state report card from the Illinois State
Board of Education, 49 percent of all students in Illinois public
schools meet that criteria.
There is no citizenship requirement for the program and Summer EBT is
not considered under the public charge rule of U.S. immigration law.
Children will be automatically enrolled if they have been enrolled on or
after July 1, 2023, in either the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program, or SNAP; income-eligible Medicaid; Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families, or TANF; or the state’s Youth in Care or foster care
system.
Families who do not take part in those programs but who may qualify
under the income guidelines can also apply through a school that takes
part in the National School Lunch Program.
Qualifying families will receive the money in the form of an electronic
benefits transfer, or EBT card, known in Illinois as a Link card. For
families already enrolled in the SNAP or TANF programs, the $120
per-child benefit will be loaded onto their existing Link card. Others
will receive a new card in the mail from the Illinois Department of
Human Services.
According to the state’s Summer EBT website, the 2024 benefits will be
distributed in late summer.
Capitol News Illinois is
a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is
distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide.
It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert
R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the
Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial
Association. |