The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) recently announced a proposed $3 million investment aimed at supporting families in underserved counties through the Summer Food Service Program. The initiative, if approved by the Tennessee General Assembly, will provide a one-time payment of $120 to eligible children in households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.
The announcement follows the state’s decision not to renew participation in the federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Program for Children. Originally introduced in 2020 as a pandemic-era initiative, the Summer EBT program provided families with funds to purchase food for school-aged children during the summer months. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the program supported approximately 21 million children across 37 states in 2024, including nearly 700,000 in Tennessee.
“Child hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation, and neither should our commitment to making sure kids have the food they need,” said Sen. Lamar. “Nearly 700,000 Tennessee children could benefit from this program, yet Gov. Lee is turning down federal dollars that would directly help families put food on the table.”…