After USDA rejection, anti-hunger advocates urge Gov. Reynolds to apply for Summer EBT

The Iowa Hunger Coalition and other anti-hunger advocates called on Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds to apply for Summer EBT after the federal government rejected her alternate program.

In August, Reynolds applied for a waiver to use money from the Summer Extended Benefit Transfer program to support a state demonstration project for 2025 instead. That project would have provided three prepared food boxes in June, July, and August to low-income Iowa families. It would have covered families at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, or $25,820 for a family of three.

The US Department of Agriculture rejected the proposal last month. Vista Suarez Fletcher, regional administrator of the Midwest Regional Office, wrote in her October response letter that:

• Summer EBT exists because of a decade of previous demonstration projects;
• It has been proven to work and to be able to reach children in need;
• Because Congress passed a law establishing Summer EBT programs, it hasn’t designated money for any more demonstration projects;
• The Summer EBT program has options that are close to the governor’s meal site proposal.

Luke Elzinga, chair of the board for the Iowa Hunger Coalition, said at a Monday press conference the USDA program also provides families the ability to shop for what they need, instead of being given a one-size-fits-all box like Reynolds’ proposal.

“[EBT] is meant to be nutrition support for people to purchase their own groceries,” he said. “This is not just a simple waiver request. The state’s asking to waive 29 separate pieces of federal code.”

Elzinga is also skeptical of Reynolds’ claim that the state program would provide for more people because it would require people to sign up. Only 42% of the people who qualify for SNAP, for example, are signed up for SNAP. By contrast, Summer EBT is extended automatically to families with children who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

$29M Summer EBT vs. $900K state grant program

In December of 2023, Reynolds announced she would not apply for the USDA program, which would have provided Iowa about $29 million in federal funding to feed about 240,000 kids over the summer when they won’t get school meals. Among the reasons she cited for not applying: She believed the program contributed to childhood obesity.

The program would have given families an added $120 per month, per the Hunger Coalition, for every child who qualifies for free or reduced price lunch at school. The money, given directly to families, could have been used to buy groceries in June, July and August.

Instead, Reynolds this year created a $900,000 grant program that created 61 new free summer meal sites. Elzinga said that was helpful, but it still left gaps.

“[I] really want to stress that we see Summer EBT as a complement, not a replacement to these. And it’s meant to fill in those gaps,” he said.

Not too late to apply for Summer EBT—if Reynolds chooses

The state has until Jan. 1, 2025 to apply to participate in Summer EBT for 2025. Iowa is one of 11 Republican-run states that hasn’t participated.

Elzinga said the federal program is already set up with the flexibility to match the program Reynolds proposed when she applied for the waiver.

“One thing that Congress did when they permanently established the Summer EBT program is they also permanently authorized some changes to summer meal programs,” he said. “When you combine these flexibilities, to me, you already get extremely close to the program that the governor has proposed.”

For example, there are already options to take food to-go and to get ingredients in bulk to prepare meals rather than simply getting pre-prepared food.

Iowa food banks are still seeing record-breaking demand, and advocates have been demanding action and recommending changes for months.

The Iowa Hunger Coalition has a list of five recommendations for how Reynolds can tackle food insecurity in Iowa

1. Ensure Iowa participates in Summer EBT in 2025;
2. Keep trying to increase participation in SNAP, WIC, free and reduced price school meals, and summer meals;
3. Raise the income eligibility for SNAP to 200% of the federal poverty level;
4. Invest state money in the Double Up Food Bucks program, which provides matching funds for purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables;
5. Explore ways to get rid of Iowa’s food deserts by keeping stores open or establishing stores in places without.