Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has opted not to seek about $84 million in federal food assistance to provide summer food aid to about 700,000 needy children statewide.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer EBT program offers about $120 in food benefits to school-aged children that qualify for federal food assistance and do not have access to free or low-cost school meals during the summer months.
Tennessee was one of 13 states that did not seek the funding in 2025, but several of those states reversed course and applied to participate in the program this year…