Five family food grants the government is distributing

The $375 check for children during the summer is just one of the benefits expanded or extended under the third stimulus bill to help low-income households and combat poverty in the country.

In addition to the extension through the summer of the Pandemic EBT for the purchase of food for low-income families with children in school, there are at least four other programs to address childhood hunger and impact other populations that were extended or expanded under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) that will benefit millions of recipients.

Temporary increase in WIC funding

A press release last week on the website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agency in charge of implementing the initiatives, also highlighted the temporary increase in funds to purchase fruits and vegetables for recipients of the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

For that purpose, some $490 million was allocated under ARPA, approved in mid-March in the U.S. Congress.

"With the $490 million provided by the American Recovery Plan Act of 2021, USDA is offering states, tribal nations and territories the option to increase the cash value of the benefit voucher by more than three times the current amount for up to four months to provide additional relief during this difficult time," the USDA entry states.

According to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, the measure seeks to promote healthier eating patterns while boosting household food security.

"Nowhere is food security more important than in our WIC program to help mothers and children," Vilsack said.

The program provides mothers who are pregnant or have children 5 years old or younger with supplemental foods and nutrition education.

To be eligible for this benefit program, applicants must live in the state where they are applying, be pregnant, breastfeeding, postpartum or raising children 5 years old or younger.

A person eligible for benefit programs such as SNAP, Medicaid or TANF automatically meets the income eligibility requirement for WIC.

This program is in addition to others for which the third stimulus bill provided more funding for expansion. Some $12 billion was appropriated under the statute to address child poverty and reduce the need for food in households with children.

P-EBT

Also last week, USDA confirmed that the summer extension of the P-EBT program applies to all children in the United States eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the school year.

"Under ARPA, P-EBT is available this summer to all children eligible for free and reduced-price meals during the school year. This includes children in schools receiving P-EBT benefits during the school year and those who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals but did not receive benefits under P-EBT in the last month of the school year because they attended school in person and had access to food service at school," reads USDA's April 26 notice.

Families would receive up to $375 per child during the summer to replace meals their children received while taking classes in schools.

Increase in SNAP benefits

Under the "American Recovery Plan, the 15% increase in the monthly payment to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, known as food stamps, was extended through September of this year. The change provides $1.1 billion in additional benefits to some 41 million participants. The extension also applies to citizens in U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico.

Meal funding under CACFP

More funds were earmarked for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for people receiving care in special facilities as well as shelters.

The CACFP reimburses child and adult care facilities (some with disabilities) for the delivery of meals and snacks to these groups. As part of regular care, children and adults receive meals from these facilities; in the case of children, many receive the benefit after school hours.

Additional assistance under CSFP

The new law establishes some $37 million in additional assistance under the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) that impacts the elderly population.

Through the program, nutritional foods are provided to low-income recipients age 60 and older.