EBT

The new summer EBT program will give an extra $120 to eligible school-age kids. But, families in Missouri and Kansas probably won’t get the money until late summer or fall.

As some states wrap up this year’s summer food aid program, Missouri is still distributing last year’s benefits. Officials say they must complete dispersal by the end of this year

The state said this week it will not participate in a federal program that would provide $120 in benefits to each eligible child, citing administrative hurdles. The decision sparked anger from Missouri parents, who say that officials "basically just robbed us."

During the pandemic, participation in the federal program for low-income women and children dropped more steeply in Missouri than in all but one other state, a new report found. One cause might be Missouri's burdensome administrative system, which requires EBT cards to be physically swiped when loading benefits.

A federal program called P-EBT could help cover hundreds of dollars in groceries for families with children who lost access to meals because they attended class online and not in person during the 2020-21 school year.