When the summer months roll in, many families in Tennessee face a harsh reality: they struggle to provide enough food for their children. A recent statewide study reveals the significant challenges these families experience, particularly when school is out and kids no longer have access to school meals. While the findings paint a concerning picture of food hardship during the summer months, they also offer a clear solution: Summer EBT.
The Strain of Summer
According to the study, a majority of Tennessee families eligible for benefits through Summer EBT or SUN Bucks, are unable to meet their food needs. Nearly three-quarters (71%) often find themselves without enough money for food and nearly two-thirds (62%) struggle to provide their kids with enough nutritious food when school is out in the summer.
The financial pressures faced by these families are immense, and the summer months only seem to exacerbate the problem. With kids at home and not benefiting from school meal programs, the need for additional support becomes even more urgent.
Summer EBT: A Vital Resource
The Summer EBT program, which provides benefits for eligible families to purchase groceries over the summer months, has proven to be a crucial resource for many Tennessee households, helping to bridge the gap during a time when resources are stretched thin and food insecurity is more prevalent.
For the first time last year, Tennessee offered Summer EBT benefits to families statewide, and it had a tremendous impact, reaching more than 650,000 school aged kids and pumping $78 million federal dollars into the state.
And the impact on Tennesseans was huge. Families who participated in the Summer EBT program used the benefits to purchase essential nutritious food, including more protein, fruits and vegetables. Summer EBT also helped families stock their pantries and afford a wider variety of food.
“Sometimes we just don’t buy groceries when the pantry gets low,” said one mom in Humphreys County. “We used Summer EBT to keep the pantry fuller more often.”
Another mom in Cannon County said, “Summer EBT was an unexpected blessing when we needed it most. My children were able to get the nutritious food they needed.”
Strong Support for Summer EBT
Despite the enormous impact the program had last summer, the state does not plan to continue the program into 2025 or beyond. Sun Bucks/Summer EBT was permanently authorized in December 2022, based on demonstration pilots dating back to 2011, including a very successful 2018 pilot in Northeastern Tennessee. Tennessee is the only state that participated in the program last year that does not plan to continue it.
But Tennessee residents overwhelmingly support its continuation. An impressive 86% would like to see the state continue to participate in Summer EBT, including nearly all (97%) self-identified Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 80% of Republicans. This consensus reflects a shared understanding that addressing food insecurity is not a partisan issue but a priority for the well-being of Tennessee’s children. Four in five adults (81%) say they would be concerned if elected officials in Tennessee declined federal funding to help feed kids.
And it makes sense why. While kids who rely on school meals can access the current summer meals program, it only reaches a faction of eligible families. This is especially acute in a state like Tennessee, where rural, mountainous regions make accessing traditional summer meals sites particularly difficult.
A Call for Bipartisan Action on Hunger
Tennesseans are united in their belief that no child in the state should go hungry. An overwhelming 95% of residents agree that child hunger is unacceptable, and 92% believe that ending childhood hunger should be a bipartisan goal. The poll shows strong demand for more action from elected officials to combat food insecurity, with 80% of respondents affirming that programs like Summer EBT are essential to achieving this goal.
Tennesseans want to see their leaders take action to ensure that all children have access to the food they need to thrive, particularly during the summer months when hunger is most pronounced.
Moving Forward
The results of this survey are a powerful reminder that addressing child hunger is a shared responsibility that requires action from all levels of government. With widespread support for programs like Summer EBT, it’s clear that Tennesseans are committed to ensuring that their children have access to the nutrition they need, regardless of the season.
As we move forward, it’s crucial that Tennessee continues to participate in Summer EBT. By doing so, we can help ensure that all children in Tennessee have the opportunity to grow up healthy, strong, and well-nourished.