Summer EBT program to provide food access to low-income San Diego students

SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI) — Low-income school-aged children across San Diego County will be given food access even after cafeteria doors close this summer.

This is due to an initiative championed by Rep. Mike Levin and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small that has officially become permanent as of 2024.

Known as the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Program, this initiative will provide $120 per child in grocery benefits to low-income families during the summer break.

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Eligible families include those who qualify for reduced-priced lunches, meaning those families are at or under 185% of the federal poverty line.

How does it work? The funds allocated for these families will be loaded on an EBT card, which can be used at stores that also take Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Rep. Levin and Secretary Small made a visit to Mission Elementary School in Oceanside Monday to celebrate the program with some of the students who may very well benefit from it.

“I first introduced legislation in 2021 for a permanent EBT program because no child should go hungry when schools are closed. In order to tackle food insecurity among children, it’s vital for families to be able to afford nutritious foods,” said Rep. Levin while visiting North County. “The Summer EBT Program gives families the financial support they need to do just that. I thank USDA Deputy Secretary Torres Small for being a partner in fighting food insecurity and for joining us in Oceanside to highlight the program.”

Ariel, a mother of two school-aged students in the Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD), shared on Monday what this program means for her family.

“As a wife and mother of two small children, giving my family healthy food options is important to me,” she said. “A program like this really helps me make the best choices when feeding my family.”

OUSD Superintendent Julie Vital also commented, stating, “Ensuring that our students have food to eat contributes to their academic success and overall well-being.”

California is one of 35 states that opted into the program for 2024, along with all five U.S. territories and four tribes. A representative from Rep. Levin’s office told FOX 5 over 3 million students in California are expected to benefit from the summer EBT program statewide.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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