Letter to the editor: Reynolds politicizes summer food program

To the editor:

How can Iowa help to ensure that kids don’t go hungry during the summer?

One way is to participate in the USDA’s Summer Electronic Transfer (EBT) program. Approximately three dozen states did participate this summer. Not Iowa.

It’s designed to help close the food gap for kids who lose access to nutritious school meals during summer break.

The USDA’s fact sheet on the program states, “Research shows that providing families with summer grocery benefits reduces child hunger and supports healthier diets.”

What’s to hate?

In Reynolds’ view, it doesn’t do enough to address childhood obesity even though the program is proven to increase whole grain and dairy consumption, increase fruit and vegetable consumption and decrease sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, according to the USDA factsheet.

Reynolds rejected the $29 million to feed hungry kids, turning down $120 per eligible child ($40 per month) in food assistance that would have helped approximately 240,000 Iowa kids.

After rejecting $29 million in federal funds, Iowa invested $900,000–less than one million–into their own program. Clearly only a fraction of the 240,000 kids that could have been helped received assistance. Incomprehensible.

Looking to summer 2025, Reynolds is again rejecting the USDA’s proven EBT program, but she seeks federal funding to implement her own program. She’s asking for a waiver.

Reynolds stated in her recent press releases that her proposal would feed 60,000 more kids at a lower cost while promoting healthier foods because the program would leverage bulk pricing.

If true, great.

Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, released the following statement: “The complex issues of food insecurity and obesity cannot be solved with cash benefits that don’t actively promote health, nutrition-dense food or reach all Iowa children in need. In Iowa, our focus is on the comprehensive well-being of this generation of young Iowans. Our solutions to promote healthy behaviors and well-balanced, nutritious diets for children must be comprehensive and holistic.”

The USDA’s EBT program is a proven, research-based cash-benefits program that reduces hunger and supports healthy diets—exactly what Iowa says it wants to do—but Garcia seems to be rejecting that science.

She stresses that Iowa must “actively” promote health. That sounds to me like public relations spin for, “We know better than parents, and we’re going to actively control the foods made available instead of trusting parents to make the food choices that make sense for their specific situation and their families.”

And how did our state “reach all Iowa children in need” this summer by turning down $29 million in funding? Reaching all Iowans in need is an admirable goal, but in the meantime let’s help as many as possible. A stand that says, “We won’t help tens of thousands of you if we can’t help all of you,” is a ridiculous stand to take.

Garcia also says that Iowa’s “focus is on the comprehensive well-being” and the solutions “must be comprehensive and holistic.” Don’t let perfect get in the way of good, Iowa.

Yes, comprehensive and holistic solutions should be the goal, but why discard an effective USDA solution that helps Iowa address the summer food gap?

Take advantage of all the tools and resources available to help hungry Iowa children.

If your demonstration project is better than the USDA’s tested program, fabulous.

But try as you will, there was no comprehensible reason for Iowa to reject $29 million in 2024. And I’m fearful Reynolds is already teeing up excuses to do so again in 2025. I hope I’m wrong.

Reynolds has stated, “If the purpose is truly to make sure kids don’t go hungry in the summer, the USDA will, in good faith, work with Iowa on this demonstration project. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and join with them to feed Iowa children.”

Since she previously hasn’t rolled up her sleeves to help feed Iowa children to the full capacity that was available to the children of our state, I hope she now will.

But her statement suggests she is strategically preparing to blame the USDA instead of herself if the USDA waiver is denied. Don’t blame the USDA for Iowa’s hungry children, but feed them even if you personally must hold your nose to accept millions from the USDA’s proven and effective EBT program.

Hate and whine about it if you politically must, but don’t deprive Iowa kids yet again.

Laura Stebbins
Perry