Summer EBT
SD kids need food all year!

Update 1-5-26  Still, there are no plans by the governor to accept Summer EBT (aka SUN Bucks) for schoolkids in SD. Summer is often a hungry time. But the state legislature do it! They can build this into their budget. The food money is federal (something that wasn't cut by Congress!), but the state must pay half the admin cost, for things like sending out the EBT cards to use at the grocery store. Urge legislators to accept this food that our kids need in summer.

   Speaking of child food insecurity: For sure there will be a bill to cover the families' cost of the reduced-price school meals, so meals will be free to that group of children. Let's urge legislators to designate funds for more kids to eat school meals. Low-income families are struggling.
  They should cover as many meals for their children as they can. The income cut-off for reduced-price school meals is 185% of poverty level. A bill is drafted to cover up to that limit. It would be even better and make sense to go to 209%, the limit for children's healthcare coverage. An amendment is drafted to go to 209%. Kids need these meals.
  Kids need to focus on school, not empty stomachs.

   And sure-as-shootin' the legislature should not raise the cost of food for strugging families! In other words, they should NOT raise the sales tax on food -- not for property tax relief or anything. Especially not for property tax relief, because many struggling families are renters. In fact, 31% of SD households are renters. Should the cost of their peanutbutter, milk... baby food, ... go up in order to give $ to even the wealthiest SD'ans? Tax should go down on food, not up.

Update 8-1-25.  South Dakota’s schoolchildren are still missing out on Summer EBT, also called SUN Bucks, a federal summer food program for kids eligible for free or reduced-price school meals during the school year.

You can find info here: https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunbucks

There you will see that South Dakota is one of the few states turning down this nutritional benefit for our children.

  Ask the Governor and our state legislators to ACCEPT SUMMER EBT FOR OUR KIDS! What are they waiting for? A child has only one childhood! It goes by fast. Hunger can have lasting effects.

Update 12-1-24.  South Dakota has until January 1, 2025, to sign up for Summer EBT for next summer. It's not too late. Please encourage Governor Noem to let South Dakota kids get this food when school is out and not be so hungry next year. Kids grow fast. They cannot wait for their needs to be met.

Update 5-1-24.  Good news from Alabama. More than 500,000 school-age children there will get Summer EBT starting in 2025. 

Update at the end of the SD Legislature:
Alas! The SD Legislature refused, just like the governor had done. This is bad news for SD schoolchildren. There was only one vote on Summer EBT.
How they voted (House Bill 1184):  For Summer EBT:  Kassin, Duba, Foster, Krull, and Derby.(Thank them.)
Against: Otten(Ernie), Mills, Wiik, Zikmund, Maher, Koth, Kolbeck(Jack), Bolin, Wink, Breitling, Venhuizen, Hunhoff

Update 2-12-24. Good News!  Nebraska's Governor has decided to take Summer EBT after all!  An estimated 150,000 Nebraska kids will have the ability to access meals over the 2024 summer months and bring in $18 million to Nebraska in economic benefits. That leaves South Dakota among 14 states where children will be missing out on this food in summer 2024..

Let the Children Have Food!

Speak up for Summer EBT for Kids

    Summer EBT* is food for schoolchildren in the summer, when they are missing free or reduced-price school meals.

   South Dakotans are paying federal taxes for children in other states to have this food in summers, but SD is one of the few states denying this food to its children. Let’s speak up to urge our state to participate.  South Dakota children need this food too.

Contact Gov.Noem, State Capitol, Pierre SD 57501, 605-773-3212,
Email thru: governor.sd.gov/office/contact.aspx

and SD’s Secretaries of Ed and Social Services.

 doe@state.sd.us, DSSInfo@state.sd.us

Ask them and all candidates for SD Legislature

 to accept Summer EBT for kids next summer.

-- This $40-a-month (June-Aug) federal food benefit would go to every child who ordinarily gets free or reduced-price school meals. 

-- Demonstration projects during the pandemic show it reduces food insecurity. Summer EBT is now a permanent program.

-- The impact is significant. Because South Dakota keeps choosing not to participate, an estimated 60,000 South Dakota children are missing out on summer food worth a total of over $7,000,000.

-- Summer EBT would reach all areas of the state. This is especially helpful in areas without congregate summer lunch sites. Neither program by itself is enough to cover a child’s nutritional needs. Kids need both.

-- Families need help putting food on the table when school's out. 

-- Adequate nutrition is critical for a child’s development and learning and behavior, and thus we all benefit as a society.

-- Help children return to classrooms in the fall ready to learn.                            

*What is EBT? Electronic Benefits Transfer looks and works like a credit card, but it buys only food. This is the way SNAP (food stamps) is distributed.

Thanks from Bread for the World-SD, 7/1/24