Listen! If you pay attention to the delightful wisdom of Mrs. Frazzled (a kindergarten teacher, somewhat famous for her social media posts), you will learn about how important it is to listen.
Listen! There is an important public policy issue in Iowa these days about the most effective approach to assist families with children that are facing food insecurity.
My sense is that Iowa's Gov. Kim Reynolds and her administration are not listening well.
In Iowa, and across the nation, when the last bell rings at the end of the school year, millions of children can lose access to the healthy meals they get each day through school breakfast and lunch. The National Governors Association says that "The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer" program, also known as SUN Bucks, can offer a solution to the persistent problem of hunger among children during the summer. This program provides low-income families with additional funds to help cover increased grocery costs during out-of-school sessions, which can offer relief to struggling parents."
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A number of years ago the The Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture developed a pilot program to combat summer hunger by providing a small grocery benefit for low-income families.
The results have been promising: An evaluation published in the journal Pediatrics, as well as the evaluation commissioned by USDA estimated that the early demonstration project was associated with a 30% reduction in the prevalence of "very low" food security in children and was associated with an increase in the consumption of nutritious foods. Numerous "red states" and "blue states," and tribal organizations found this program most effective in helping to close the summer hunger gap experienced by many kids and families.
Dateline December 2022: The evidence of Summer EBT program effectiveness and best practices culminated in the creation of the permanent program, championed by Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), with bipartisan support, as part of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The permanent program allows states to provide families an additional $40 per month per eligible child for three months of summer.
Dateline August 2024: Reynolds announced a waiver request, to opt out of Summer EBT for 2025. (In 2024 37 states found this to be a very successful program!)
Listen! Food insecurity is reaching startling levels in Iowa right now. Food banks, food pantries, and other anti-hunger organizations are assisting record-breaking numbers of people. School meal debt is rising. A $120 nutrition benefit to support 245,000 eligible kids during the summer will help families who are struggling to put food on the table.
Listen! Parents in Iowa should be trusted to be able to make the right food choices for their family. We should be supporting the ability of all Iowans to be able to make healthier food choices, not penalizing low-income families and exasperating food insecurity. Summer EBT/SUN Bucks has proven to increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, and whole grains, without increasing consumption of sugar sweetened beverages.
Gov, Reynolds needs to listen to the over 150 organizations (and the amazing "on the front lines" people of these organizations) that are calling her to ensure that Iowa participates in this program. These organizations and people reject the plan the Reynolds administration is suggesting as an alternative -- organizations as diverse as the Iowa Catholic Conference, Iowa Community Action Association (16 agencies across the state), the Iowa Farmers Union, ELCA Lutheran Synods, Big Brothers Big Sisters (Central Iowa, Johnson County, Heart of Iowa, and Mississippi Valley), Hunger coalitions and food pantries (including Clay County, Coralville, North Liberty, Decorah, Dickinson County, Storm Lake, Sioux City, Urbandale), the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, United Ways of Iowa and local United Way organizations in 13 communities (Cedar Valley, Grinnell, Marshalltown, Central Iowa, East Central Iowa, Dubuque Area Tri-States, Jasper County, Johnson/Washington Counties, Mahaska County, North Central Iowa, Southeast Iowa, Wapello County, and Quad Cities), and the Mary J. Treglia Community House.
Dateline NOW: Iowa has until Jan. 1 to submit a notice of intent to the USDA to operate the Summer EBT to benefit Iowa's kids in 2025. The decision lies entirely in the hands of Gov. Reynolds. I hope she listens.
David Halaas has a commitment to community involvement, recently serving on the boards of Leadership Siouxland, SafePlace, the Sioux City Public Library and currently on the board of trustees of the Sioux City Public Museum. He is the pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church ELCA in Sioux City.(tncms-asset)7311a859-7598-592e-9b2f-d575df170b85[0](/tncms-asset)
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