Tennessee plans only one year of extra federal summer food aid program for kids

By JONATHAN MATTISE
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee governor’s office says it only plans to participate for one year in a federal program that gives low-income families $40 per child per month to pay for food while school is out. Tennessee is among 35 states, all five U.S. territories and four tribes that have opted into the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, or Summer EBT, for this summer. Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s office said Friday that it will offer the extra benefit for one summer. A Lee spokesperson echoed arguments from some of the states not participating that the initiative stems from a pandemic-era benefit and there are other existing food assistance programs.