{"id":13012,"date":"2025-01-13T22:03:25","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T22:03:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/tennessee\/?p=13012"},"modified":"2025-04-09T18:43:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T18:43:47","slug":"new-poll-low-income-families-struggle-to-afford-food-in-summer-months-strong-bipartisan-support-statewide-for-tennessees-continued-participation-in-summer-ebt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/tennessee\/2025\/01\/13\/new-poll-low-income-families-struggle-to-afford-food-in-summer-months-strong-bipartisan-support-statewide-for-tennessees-continued-participation-in-summer-ebt\/","title":{"rendered":"NEW POLL: Low-Income Families Struggle to Afford Food in Summer Months; Strong Bipartisan Support Statewide for Tennessee\u2019s Continued Participation in Summer EBT"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/b><\/p>\n

January 13, 2025<\/p>\n

Contact:<\/b>\u00a0Laura Rice at\u00a0<\/span>lrice@strength.org<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Low-Income Families Struggle to Afford Food in Summer Months; Strong Bipartisan Support Statewide for Tennessee\u2019s Continued Participation in Summer EBT<\/b><\/p>\n

Findings come as Tennessee is poised to pass up on $78 million in federal benefits to keep kids fed in the summer months.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

TENNESSEE<\/b>: A <\/span>new statewide poll<\/span><\/a> from No Kid Hungry shows many low-income Tennessee families struggle to afford enough food during the summer. Of those eligible for Summer EBT, also known as SUN Bucks, 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<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the first time last year, Tennessee offered Summer EBT benefits to families statewide. The grocery benefits, which help families afford the added cost of food when kids are home for summer break, had a huge impact in the state – reaching more than 650,000 school aged kids and funneling $78 million<\/span> federal dollars into the state, estimated to have a $139 million total economic impact<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The poll found Tennessee families who participated in Summer EBT in 2024 used benefits to buy nutritious food. Half (50%) of 2024 program participants said they bought more protein, and half (48%) bought more fresh fruits and vegetables. Just over half (54%) were able to stock their pantries,\u00a0 and one-third (32%) bought a wider variety of food.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes we just don\u2019t buy groceries when the pantry gets low. We just eat what we have. We used Summer EBT to keep the pantry fuller more often,\u201d said one mom from Humphreys County. \u201cSummer EBT was an unexpected blessing when we needed it most. My children were able to get the nutritious food they needed,\u201d another mom from Cannon County shared.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the huge impact the program has had last summer, the state does not plan to continue the program into 2025 or beyond. Sun Bucks 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 the program.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe need in Tennessee is high, with 1 in 5 kids living in food insecure households. If the state doesn\u2019t offer Summer EBT next year, we\u2019re extremely worried about our kids – many of whom were impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene,\u201d said Marissa Spady with No Kid Hungry Tennessee. \u201cMany will face hunger and their families will be forced to make impossible decisions like whether to buy groceries or pay rent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer has long been the hungriest time of year for many kids, as they no longer receive meals at school. Traditional summer meal programs have long helped nourish kids in the summertime, but they only reach a fraction of the kids who need them due to challenges like transportation and parents\u2019 work schedules. Summer EBT helps fill that gap.<\/span><\/p>\n

The poll also found strong bipartisan support for Tennessee continuing Summer EBT. A strong majority (86%) statewide would like Tennessee to participate in Summer EBT, including nearly all (97%) self-identified Democrats, 87% of independents, and 80% of Republicans. Four in five adults (81%) say they would be concerned if elected officials in Tennessee declined federal funding to help feed children.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just policy, it\u2019s good politics too,\u201d Spady adds. \u201cAcross the political spectrum, people want to see this program continue.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About No Kid Hungry<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n

No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids will face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger through effective programs that provide kids with the food they need. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization working to end hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2025 Contact:\u00a0Laura Rice at\u00a0lrice@strength.org\u00a0   Low-Income Families Struggle to Afford Food in Summer Months; Strong Bipartisan Support Statewide for Tennessee\u2019s Continued Participation in Summer EBT…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":13022,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[36,37,38],"class_list":{"0":"post-13012","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-statement","8":"tag-summer","9":"tag-summer-ebt","10":"tag-summer-meals"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNEW POLL: Strong Bipartisan Support for Tennessee\u2019s Continued Summer EBT Participation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/tennessee\/2025\/01\/13\/new-poll-low-income-families-struggle-to-afford-food-in-summer-months-strong-bipartisan-support-statewide-for-tennessees-continued-participation-in-summer-ebt\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NEW POLL: Strong Bipartisan Support for Tennessee\u2019s Continued Summer EBT Participation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2025 Contact:\u00a0Laura Rice at\u00a0lrice@strength.org\u00a0   Low-Income Families Struggle to Afford Food in Summer Months; 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