Mary Franklin assists with food distribution at Cato Elementary as part of Arkansas’ summer nutrition programs for students on July 3, 2025. (Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate)
The number of Arkansas students participating in one of three summer nutrition programs offered in the state has already eclipsed last year’s count, officials said Thursday at a food distribution event in Sherwood.
The newest program, Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children, or Summer EBT, was created through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and modeled on a similar initiative created during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Each child enrolled in the Summer EBT program receives a debit card loaded with $120 for purchasing fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, breads, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks…