Thanks to the efforts of Democratic elected officials and over 80 groups, including local food banks, Governor Ron DeSantis has accepted $820 million in federal food aid for the state. Millions of Florida’s children facing food insecurity will benefit greatly from the funding.
Representative Nixon offered the following:
“This past week, Florida had something to be thankful for! Many of the nearly 2.1 million kids were be able to enjoy a good meal with their families, bringing new meaning to a happy thanksgiving. Democrats believe that all Floridians deserve the freedom to be healthy and prosperous. I’m grateful that our efforts pushed Governor DeSantis to do the right thing and accept $820 million in funding through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for families that cannot afford to buy food.”
As of September, 2021, Florida was the only state in the country refusing to participate in the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program, which allows low-income families to receive up to $375 per child to help pay for meals. While the state previously enrolled in the program, the decision to cut off funding for the new school year has meant families of over 2.1 million children – including over 250,000 children younger than 6 – would have a harder time affording food.
