SC should participate in program that helps parents buy summer groceries

In participating states, low-income families will receive $40 each month for each eligible school-aged child, up to $120, to buy groceries, beginning in the summer of 2024. Shown is a sign at a grocery store noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, cards, on Dec. 4, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

I am appalled that South Carolina rejected increased grocery benefits for families while children are home during the summer.

As a South Carolina social worker with many children in my caseload some years ago, I learned a lot about this issue. Some children went to school only to eat. School lunch was the only meal they could rely on each day in the days before school breakfast.

Gov. Henry McMaster chose not to participate in the federal program that provides families up to $120 a month in summer grocery aid. He’s pointed to existing food benefit programs, including two that provide poor students free prepared meals in the summer.

While it’s true that there are summer lunch programs available, that leaves families scrambling to pay for two other meals daily.

During the school year, their children would typically be able to eat two meals at school during the week. As it is, we have Backpack Buddies here in Horry County, which packs food for kids to eat on weekends. But these foods, while helpful, tend to be highly processed and not the best choices for daily use.

Children should not have to rely on this sort of charity for a basic need like a daily meal. Meanwhile, food pantries are strained and often have empty shelves .

I suspect that not every family can get their children to summer lunch program sites. The more difficult the family situation, the more likely this is to be true.

The federal government fully covers the cost of the summer grocery aid added to debit cards. The states only have to fund half of the administrative costs.

With a large revenue surplus , the state could well afford to nourish vulnerable children.

McMaster could have recommended using a tiny portion of this money to feed children, who would then more likely grow up to be taxpayers instead of dependents.

But McMaster calls basic nutrition for children during the summer a “Covid-related benefit extra.” Instead, the governor backs the legislative move to further cut state income taxes. The spending plan sent to McMaster’s desk last week doubles the tax reduction called for in the coming year under a 2022 law.

South Carolina, and especially its children, need more services, not fewer.

The best way to ensure a bright future for South Carolinians and especially our children is to boost services to the poorest and most vulnerable among us.

Programs that ensure children are well nourished benefit everyone, because well nourished children are not only healthier, they learn more easily , providing SC with a stronger, healthier, better educated workforce in the future.

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