Atlanta, GA — For the second year, Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) is urging Governor Brian Kemp to allow Georgia to receive federal funding to feed students during the summer months. The full Georgia Democratic Congressional Delegation joined the letter sent today. This comes after a second consecutive summer where the Governor refused federal funding for the USDA’s Summer EBT program. Over 40% of the 2.8 million children in Georgia are eligible for this program, but families are being prevented from participating.
“This month marks the end of the second consecutive year that you have refused to participate in USDA’s Summer EBT program despite the overwhelming rates of hunger and food insecurity across our state,” the letter reads. “Additionally, your office never responded to either of our letters requesting that Georgia participate in Summer EBT in 2025 nor did your office provide families in our state with more information on how you came to the decision to not participate. As mentioned in previous letters, Summer EBT would provide the poorest children and families with a $40 benefit per eligible child per month, totaling $120 dollars for the summer. Of the roughly 2.8 million children in Georgia, over 40% of them are eligible for this benefit but are prevented from participating due to your continued decision to not participate in the program .”
The letter is signed by Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and by Representatives Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), David Scott (GA-13), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).
The Governor’s office did not participate in the program during the summers of 2024 nor 2025. Governor Kemp’s office has yet to make clear whether the State will participate next year and has not responded to any of the letters the Democratic Georgia Delegation sent on this matter. Rep. McBath sent a letter in July 2024, a delegation letter in August 2024, and a delegation letter in February 2025 demanding answers about the decision. The delegation is asking Governor Kemp to participate in the summer 2026 program and submit Georgia’s Interim Plan for Operations and Management (iPOM) to USDA no later than August 15, 2025 and the appropriate Notice of Intent (NOI) to participate no later than January 1, 2026.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer EBT Program, also known as “Sun Bucks,” provides low-income families with school-aged children a $40 benefit per eligible child per month, totaling a combined $120 dollars for the summer when school is out of session. Georgia is one of twelve states that did not participate in 2025. In addition, Republicans in Congress passed a bill that will cut SNAP by $300 billion in the next 10 years. Failing to opt into programs like Summer EBT needlessly puts Georgia’s families at risk, especially during times when drastic SNAP cuts are being made nationwide.
The full text of the letter can be found here.