Statement Attributed to Vince Hall, Interim Chief Government Relations Officer
“Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the country, applauds the Biden Administration’s bold proposals to invest in Summer EBT to help end summer hunger for children in need, address a historically punitive policy that bans formerly incarcerated people from receiving SNAP benefits and extend recent improvements to the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, which will help cut child poverty by 50 percent. These critical investments, particularly those focused on ending child hunger and lifting out of poverty, will help many children learn and thrive as we build toward a healthier and brighter future.
“The American Families Plan contains important provisions to address child food insecurity, including a momentous proposal to make Summer EBT permanent and available to all 29 million children receiving free and reduced-price meals. The current Pandemic-EBT program and previous Summer EBT efforts have proven efficient and effective at reducing food insecurity and improving health. Additionally, the plan proposes key improvements that will increase access to free school meals for children in high-poverty districts, benefiting families as well as program operators. It also includes $1 billion to support schools expanding healthy food offerings. The plan also indicates support for providing SNAP benefits to formerly incarcerated individuals convicted of drug-related felonies, offering more equitable access to nutrition assistance as individuals work through reentry.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the administration and Congressional leaders to ensure that the families we serve are able to put meals on the table during this crisis and beyond. It is only through a strong partnership between government, the private sector, and charities that we will end hunger in this country.”
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About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
