LINCOLN- Gov. Pillen's administration has decided that Nebraska won't be participating in a new child nutrition program that could have delivered an estimated $18 million in grocery-buying benefits next summer for kids and their families. The decision comes despite a monthslong effort by food banks and other advocates to persuade the governor to opt into the Summer EBT program.

Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple said free meals continue to be available to youths during the summer through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, summer camp programs, schools, and community centers. "In addition to in-person meals, those locations offer recreational, educational, and other enrichment opportunities," said Strimple, "as well as resources that are of added benefit to kids and important for their development."

Nebraska Appleseed and several Nebraska foodbanks were among the groups urging Pillen to opt into the program, which has a cut-off date of January 1st. "Come summer, we know that more families will struggle with food insecurity because of this decision," said Eric Savaino, Appleseed's food and nutrition access manager. Savaino estimated that up to 150,000 Nebraska children would have benefited next summer if the state had opted into the new program.

Following Pillen's announcement, fifteen Nebraska lawmakers penned a letter urging the state to reconsider opting into the program. The letter, signed by Sens. Day, Bosn, Bostar, Dungan, Raybould, Conrad, Hughes, John and Machaela Cavanaugh, Hunt, Vargas, McKinney, Fredrickson, Walz, and Blood, argued the state's decision is "a message to Nebraskans that their representatives are out of touch with their very real, very immediate needs."

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