In a move that's causing stomachs to turn across the state, Texas has decided to leave nearly $350 million of federal aid on the table, intended to feed children during the summer break. According to KXAN, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) declined to participate in the Summer EBT program, which Congress approved in 2022. This program aims to fill the nutritional gap for children who rely on school meals during other months of the year.
Despite the pressing need – with one in five Texas children at risk of hunger – state officials claim they're spread too thin to add the new program to their plate. As per a statement obtained by KXAN, Jennifer Ruffcorn of Texas HHSC underscored the priority of the agency to ensure nutritional support for children but lamented the "current resource constraints at the state agencies, the level of effort needed to implement a new program, and the need for new appropriations from the Legislature," making the program's implementation in 2024 unfeasible.
The USDA's Summer EBT initiative allocates $40 per child each month over the summer to families in need. Texas' share could have meant almost $150 million in additional funding for over 1.2 million eligible children, as reported by Express News. However, an already overwhelmed HHSC, grappling with backlogs and staffing issues for existing programs like SNAP and Medicaid, has had whistleblowers raising alarms over the unsustainable workloads.
Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole highlighted this bureaucratic bottleneck in an interview with KXAN. "They’re struggling to keep up just with the benefits that they’re already administering," she said. Citing both logistical and financial hurdles, Cole underscored the additional resources necessary from the legislature – which won't convene again until 2025 – to initiate such a program.
While Texas has taken a step back, the USDA remains optimistic about the broader adoption of the program. Their spokesperson told KXAN that they're excited about the number of states and territories recognizing the potential of Summer EBT to "reduce child hunger and increase healthy eating." In the meantime, Texas HHSC steers residents in need towards the 2-1-1 Texas Information and Referral Network and community partners for assistance with food insecurity.
