AMNA NAWAZ: A new federal food assistance# program is aiming to reduce child hunger by## giving low-income families money# for summer groceries.

But only## those who live in certain states# will have access to that relief.

John Yang explains.

JOHN YANG: Many children who qualify for# free or reduced school lunches would lose## that benefit when the school year ended.

But# now a new program aims to bridge that gap by## giving needy families $40 a month for each child# who's eligible while the school is not in session,## money to buy food at grocery stores,# farmer's markets, or other approved outlets.

It's called Summer EBT, for Electronic Benefits# Transfer, because the money is electronically## loaded onto cards like debit cards; 35 states have# signed up for the program, aiding an estimated 21## million children.

But 15 other states have said# no, excluding about eight million children.

Crystal FitzSimons is director of child nutrition# programs for the Food Research and Action Center,## an advocacy group that works to# reduce poverty-related hunger.

Crystal, how big a problem# is it for needy families to## lose that benefit when school's not in session?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS, Food Research and Action# Center: Yes, well, so we have millions of## families who rely on free and reduced-price# school lunch during the sc.. And when the school bell rings, they lose# access to those meals.

And during the summer,## we see an increase in food insecurity.# We see kids gaining more weight.

And## there's just a tremendous amount of# stress on families when they need to## replace those breakfasts and lunches that# they could rely on during the school year.

So it's a huge hardship.

And the# summer EBT program, like you said,## is just an amazing new opportunity to make sure# that kids are not going hungry during the summer.

JOHN YANG: Before this program, was there any way# for children to get free or reduced-price lunches?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: Well, we# have the summer meals program,## and that will continue.

And in a lot of# ways, it's an amazing program.

Often,## it combines activities and enrichment# for kids, along with the meals.

But it served only a fraction of# the kids who relied on free and## reduced-price school meals during# the school year.

And, as a result,## we saw food and security go up.

So, Summer EBT# really is designed to kind of bridge that gap.

JOHN YANG: And in the other programs,# they'd have to go to a location,## rather than have the money# go directly to the parents.

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: That's exactly right.

So it's great when there is a site in the# community, a.. are going to be able to pick up meals too# in rural areas this summer.

But Summer EBT## really is kind of the easiest way to get# resources to families to purchase food.

JOHN YANG: The 15 states that# opted out of this program,## what reasons did they give for doing that?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: So there were a lot# of reasons, and they can come into the## program in 2025.

So the door is open, and# we really encourage them to consider it.

But it is a relatively new program, and so states# are implementing it for the first time this## summer.

And so some states just needed a little# more time.

States also have to provide 50 percent## of the admin costs.

And so it's taking states# a little bit more time to figure out where that## money is coming from.

But we are hopeful that,# by 2025, all the states will be in the program.

JOHN YANG: Did some governors have# philosophical differences with this?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: Well, there were# a couple of governors who did come## out and express concerns about# the program, Iowa and Nebraska.

But we are hopeful that when they take another# look at the program, they will reconsider it,## because some of the things that they said, like# that it was a pandemic era program, really,## that's just not true.

We have had an issue with# summer hunger since I have started working at FRAC## 25 years ago.

And it continues every summer# when families lose access to those meals.

So, hopefully, in 2025, those states# will actually take advantage of this## tool to make sure that the kids in# their state aren't going hungry.

JOHN YANG: But, for this summer, there# are 15 states that have not -- that## opted out.

You have millions of# children beyond the reach of this## program.

What are your concerns# and worries about those children?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: Well, the concern is that food## insecurity will go up again in# those states during the summer.

But we do encourage families to access# the summer meals program.

Those are## still available in those states.

And they do# provide an important resource for families.

JOHN YANG: One of the governors who said no was# Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa.

She said that,## rather than creating a new program with# what she said would be a new bureaucracy,## she thought the administration should give the# state's flexibility under current programs,## so they could do this on their own.

What do you say to that?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: Well, I would say# that the Summer EBT program .. that has been piloted for more than a# decade.

And the pilots have shown that## food insecurity goes down when families# have access to it and nutrition goes up.

So it's not -- it is technically a new# program, in that it is available to all## states nationwide this summer, but it# has been piloted because we knew that## there was a problem during the summer, and# Congress did act about 10 to 12 years ago to## actually pilot it.

And those evaluations# just show what an amazing program it is.

JOHN YANG: Earlier, you said# that, during the summer,## children gain weight.

Is that# because they're eating unhealthily?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: During the summer, kids lose# access to free and reduced-price school meals,## which do have nutrition standards and do provide# some of the healthiest meals that kids are eating.

And so, during the summer, kids can be less# active.

I know a lot of people think that kids## are out at the park and we have these visions# of what it's like for the summer for kids,## but they may be less active.

And then, if families# are struggling to put food on the table, if you## provide more resources to them, then they're# likely going to spend it on healthier food too.

JOHN YANG: Looking more broadly# beyond just children, schoolchildren,## where do we stand on food insecurity now in# this country for just the general population?

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: Yes.

Well, so, ..

It continues to stay with us.

And there# are a lot of ways to combat it.

But one## of the easiest ways to combat it is to give# families more resources to purchase food.

JOHN YANG: Crystal FitzSimons of the Food# Research and Action Center, thank you very much.

CRYSTAL FITZSIMONS: Great.# Thank you for having me.