When school’s out for the year, the new Summer EBT program will provide grocery money to the families of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch.
But Dan Gorman, Food Service Director for Montague and North Muskegon Public Schools points out, all students in Michigan get free breakfast and lunch right now. He wants families who think they qualify for Summer EBT to check with their school district now.
“There’s a point where we can’t fix it and that’s really my fear: that some families that are deserving of the benefit aren’t going to get it just because it’s confusing.”
The new plan will put $40 a month per eligible student onto an electronic benefit transfer card so families can purchase groceries. Gorman says it’s a great addition to other programs that will still offer food for pick up because that but doesn’t work for everyone.
“In Montague and North Muskegon, we’re in a rural area and the programming we have, it’s really hard for families to get to.”
He says with previous programs, especially during the pandemic, people were sometimes automatically included but that isn’t necessarily the case with the Summer EBT.
“I think it’s really crucial that people know about it and it clicks that they need to check with their school district and find out if their student qualifies for free or reduced, just because it’s not obvious.”
