Grants to Improve Access to Healthy Food for Missouri Children (MO)
January 21, 2011
Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration announced today that Missouri will receive up to $680,000 in federal funds to test new ways to provide nutrition assistance and access to healthy foods to vulnerable children next summer. The Missouri pilot project will use Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to give low–income families with school–age children more food resources.
“Many children who receive free or reduced–price meals are at risk of not receiving the nutrition they need than during the summer months,” said Gov. Nixon said. “My administration is focused on the fact that building the educated, healthy workforce of tomorrow requires an investment in the well–being of kids today.”
The Missouri project will be used to operate a food stamp–model Summer–EBT project in collaboration between the Department of Social Services, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Department of Health and Senior Services, the Local Investment Commission (LINC), and the Kansas City, Hickman Mills and Center school districts.
In the near–term, the demonstration project will provide thousands of low–income children i n the demonstration communities with substantial new household food benefits during the summer while generating a local economic benefit as well. The United States Department of Agriculture calculates that for every $5 of food stamp spending there is $9.20 of total economic activity. In the longer term it will provide critical knowledge about the impact of cutting–edge nutrition interventions on achieving real improvement in food security among our children during the summer months.
“The Missouri Department of Social Services is excited to assist in this test project to help map the way to future nutritional gains for young people in our state,” said DSS Director Ronald J. Levy. “The project also has the potential to be a welcome additional resource for families worried about feeding their children.”
An independent evaluation will be completed for the demonstration. The evaluation will determine the EBT card model’s effectiveness at improving food security among children during the summer.