As of summer 2024, 36 states, all five US territories and four tribal nations will provide low-income families with $120 vouchers per child for food at grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other approved retailers. The Biden administration’s program offers a total of $2.5 billion in federal funds for an estimated 21 million children. Nevertheless, fourteen states have opted out of this program, leaving 8 million kids without federally funded food for the summer. These states are Alaska, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Texas, South Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Mississippi, South Carolina, Vermont, Louisiana, and Alabama. The program gained support from 22 Democratic and 14 Republican states, demonstrating apparent bipartisanship. Out of the many states that refused, one of the most prominent was Republican Nebraska governor Jim Pillen. At first, he narrowed the issue to a simple ideological difference: “I don't believe in welfare.” Luckily, Governor Pillen had a change of heart. He accepted the $18 million from the federal program Nebraska, allowing the state to only front $300,000 to support 150,000 low-income children. Twelve states that opted out of the program are Republican-led, making the antagonism partisan. The public can only hope the remaining twelve will follow in Nebraska’s suit.

At the heart of the refusing states’ decisions lies a flawed understanding of both the immediate and long-term consequences of child food insecurity. By opting out of this program, states are effectively depriving thousands of children of a reliable source of nourishment. For many students, school meals constitute their primary–and sometimes only–nutritious meal of the day. When the summer starts, these kids are left with extremely limited options to find sufficient food. Given that food insecurity rose to 12.8 percent of American households (17 million homes) in 2022, now is not the proper time for government officials to deny helping their food-insecure families. Essentially, refusing the program means states are exacerbating food insecurity and placing an unnecessary burden on already vulnerable families.

The United States has the highest gross domestic product in the world, yet one in five children is food insecure. More than 13 million children faced hunger in 2022. The drastic amount of food-insecure families is a symptom of a larger problem: the United States does not take food insecurity seriously. Food insecurity is a silent disease, affecting children with a slow and steady burn. Hunger is an aching pain that does not merely affect mood or school performance; it stops children from developing into healthy adults. Since 2005, the US Department of Agriculture has recognized that “children from food-insecure and marginally secure households receive a larger proportion of their food and nutrient intakes at school than do children from highly secure households.” Participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has been found to have a positive effect on food-insecure and marginally food-secure children and protects households from food insufficiency. The program also impacts the dietary patterns of children from low-income households, particularly in terms of their consumption of vegetables, fruits, and milk. However, the food insufficiency rate is higher in the summer months when the NSLP is not in session, indicating the program’s importance in reducing food insufficiency risk. When the NSLP’s school year term ends during the summer, low-income families are left scrambling to support their kids. With poverty rates on the rise and affordable housing options dwindling, food insecurity looms as an increasingly urgent challenge. Food is not just fuel for children’s bodies; it is essential for their holistic development. 

The long-term consequences of food insecurity are multifaceted and have far-reaching implications for individuals, families, and society as a whole. Chronic food insecurity is associated with a higher risk of developing various health problems, including malnutrition, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health disorders. It can also lead to lower dietary quality, poor cognitive development, and emotional/behavioral problems. Beyond the individual level, food insecurity imposes significant economic costs on society. Healthcare costs attributable to food insecurity in the United States amounted to an estimated $77.5 billion annually. Moreover, food-insecure individuals are more likely to experience lower productivity at work due to health problems related to inadequate nutrition. By opting out of the Biden Administration’s summer food voucher program, the 14 states made a grave mistake. It is time for politicians to take food insecurity more seriously. An investment in our children’s health and well-being is an investment in America’s future.