South Dakota is one of the eleven states too stubborn or stupid to sign up for expanded summer food assistance from Uncle Sam. Bread for the World and and a whole bunch of partner-orgs are urging our next Governor, whoever he may be, to recognize the value of feeding kids year-round:
A broad coalition of South Dakota organizations sent a letter to Governor Rhoden and to gubernatorial candidate Dan Ahlers urging a commitment to participate in the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT, or SUN Bucks) program beginning in summer 2027.
The letter, signed by more than 30 organizations representing health care, nutrition, education, child welfare, anti-hunger, faith, and community interests, highlights the ongoing challenge many South Dakota families face when school is out and children lose access to free or reduced-price school meals.
“Child hunger is bad for children, for education, health, and the state’s future. Summer EBT is one thing we can do about it,” says Cathy Brechtelsbauer, coordinator for Bread for the World -South Dakota.
The coalition’s letter notes that Summer EBT provides a $120 summer grocery benefit for each eligible school-age child. The program improves nutrition and strengthens statewide efforts to reduce child food insecurity. It brings federal resources into local communities, generating economic activity for grocery stores and food retailers across the state.
Most states participate in Summer EBT, including all of South Dakota’s border states. Eric Savaiano of Nebraska Appleseed reports, “For the past three summers, Summer EBT has helped thousands of Nebraska kids get the food they need while school meals aren’t being served over the summer break. Feeding kids should be every state’s priority, and Summer EBT makes that easy.”
“This is common sense legislation. Children deserve to be fed, regardless of where they live or whether school is in session,” says Susan Carr, Executive Director of NASW-South Dakota. “South Dakota does not have to reinvent the wheel. We can learn from the success of our neighbors and make sure South Dakota children have access to the food they need to grow, learn, and thrive.”
The letter requests that gubernatorial candidates publicly indicate their intent to opt South Dakota into the Summer EBT program beginning in summer 2027.
Organizations signing the letter emphasized that ensuring children have reliable access to nutritious food is fundamental to supporting healthy development, educational success, and overall well-being. Signatories include Aurora County Food Pantry, Bread Break, Bread for the World South Dakota Chapter, Child Nutrition Services at Sioux Falls School District, Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, Dakota Rural Action, Midwest Street Medicine, National Association of Social Work- South Dakota, Presentation Sisters Justice Commission, South Dakota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Yankton Contact Center, and numerous other community organizations across the state [link added; Bread for the World, press release, 2026.10.08].
Bread for the World links to this 2024 fact sheet from the Food Research and Action Center, which notes that in summer 2025, Summer EBT could have sent South Dakota $6.84 million, which would have fed around 57,000 kids and would have generated $10.3 million to $12.3 million in economic impact from all that additional grocery-buying.
….. sad
$120 will get these kids probably 3 or even 4 weeks worth of their Monster Energy gargles and a couple of Reece’s. That’s what these kids live on when their parents are too irresponsible to feed them.
Cue the home schoolers demanding an extra $120 per child year round because their kids don’t het school lunches.
Grudges. Who are “these kids” Corey you really degrade this blog by allowing this racism to creep in.
Grudz was overfed a child by his family, so food was never scarce. Like I’ve said before, children should not suffer for lack of food in a country so wealthy and wasteful.
Shame on anyone who harms our children, even if it’s just words.
2020 presidential candidate, Andrew Yang wanted to implement a universal basic income of $12,000 a year and guaranteed income (GI) demonstration projects are underway in several states including in Colorado and New Mexico where cannabis is legal. Minnesota is still working on a basic income proposal but South Dakota is one Earth hating state where food insecurity is rampant and the infant mortality rate is nearly the worst in the US.
I assume SD said no because there was a cost (1/2 the administrative costs) to SD. As always, a penny wise and a pound foolish as my mother would say.
As long as conservatives win the framing that all taxes are bad/tyranny, and liberals abandon the value proposition of paying for a civilized society, we will continue our race to the bottom (of wealth hoarding).
Conservatives are okay with the poor paying taxes. Wanna eat and wear clothes? Pay sales tax!
The Racist party and the democratic party. Orange haired guy is leader of the Racist party. Kids going hungry? States rights. Guns killing kids in schools? Thoughts and prayers.
Our election is our chance to reduce the R party . Marion Rounds lost your election? Thoughts and prayers dude!