More than 70 percent of Houston children are eligible to receive free or reduced meals at school.
That saying, "Don't mess with Texas," has done well for our state when it comes to littering. If you throw trash or talk trash even about Texas, you better be ready for a fight.
Yet when it comes to our children, especially those who might go hungry, there aren't enough people fighting for their welfare on the state level.
Why else would Texas turn down $350 million in federal aid for summer food assistance for children? Over two-thirds of the school kids in Houston would qualify, estimates show.
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This new federal program, Summer EBT, through the United States Department of Agriculture provides families in participating states with funds to buy groceries during the summer when their children aren't receiving free or reduced-price meals at school.
It's only $40 a month per eligible child, which we know isn't much given how much groceries cost, but every bit helps when you need food for your children. It totals to $120 per child during the summer. The money is put on electronic benefit cards, like prepaid debit cards.
FOOD INSECURITY: Texas turns down $350M in summer food assistance for children, citing lack of resources
The state claims it doesn't have the time or resources to implement the program, and Texas is one of 16 states not participating. But nearly 21 million children in the U.S. and its territories are expected to receive food benefits through the program this summer.
Implementing the Summer EBT program this year was not feasible in Texas, said state Health and Human Services Commission spokesperson Thomas Vazquez in a recent Chronicle article. He said the agency lacks the staff to implement a new program and needs new funding from the Legislature.
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We have watched the Legislature make moves quickly when motivated. Since 2022, it has spent nearly $90 million to transport more than 80,000 migrants to other cities. But when it comes to feeding children, using $350 million in federal, not state, funds is somehow nearly impossible.
The cruelty of such a decision is that our state is second in leading the nation with food insecurities, meaning people have limited or uncertain access to food. Nearly one in six households is food insecure.
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According to Children at Risk, a research and advocacy nonprofit, 70 percent of Houston children are classified as coming from low-income families which makes them eligible for the free meals programs in schools.
"The state has a history of making it difficult for children in low-income families," said Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk. "There should be no hungry kids, but the state isn't taking it seriously."
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Some programs assist children who might otherwise go hungry, such as SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides families a specific amount of money each month on a debit card to buy food at the store of their choice. There's the WIC program, or Women, Infants, and Children, which is for pregnant women, those who are breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age, women who have given birth in the past six months, and guardians of infants and children under the age of 5.
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department also offers a free summer food program, which provides lunches and snacks. It's funded by the federal and state agriculture departments. Parks officials say the program won't be impacted by the state's decision.
Texas state law requires that schools with at least 80 percent of the student body qualifying for free or reduced meals must provide free breakfast, but Sanborn said not all schools are complying. Some limit that program's availability by reducing the time breakfast is served.
The USDA has continued to try to find ways to feed the nation's children through programs like Summer EBT. But Texas has always made it hard for children and families in need, regardless of who is in the White House, Sanborn said.
Texas has the power to do right by our children. I don't expect lawmakers to develop a sense of concern any time soon, but it would be great if we could say, "Don't mess with Texas or our children" and mean it.
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Sewing: Texas is cruel to turn down millions to feed children
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19.01.2024
More than 70 percent of Houston children are eligible to receive free or reduced meals at school.
That saying, "Don't mess with Texas," has done well for our state when it comes to littering. If you throw trash or talk trash even about Texas, you better be ready for a fight.
Yet when it comes to our children, especially those who might go hungry, there aren't enough people fighting for their welfare on the state level.
Why else would Texas turn down $350 million in federal aid for summer food assistance for children? Over two-thirds of the school kids in Houston would qualify, estimates show.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
This new federal program, Summer EBT, through the United States Department of Agriculture provides families in participating states with funds to buy groceries during the summer when their children aren't receiving free or reduced-price meals at school.
It's only $40 a month per eligible child, which we know isn't much given how much groceries cost, but every bit helps when you need food for your children. It totals to $120 per child during the summer. The........
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