(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Low-income families in Illinois will get help buying groceries this summer through a government program.
Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the summer EBT program will give families one-time assistance in the form of prepaid card worth $120 per eligible child.
Deputy Undersecretary of the USDA Stacy Dean said it’s an extension of federal pandemic aid and has a proven track record.
“We know it works,” Dean said. “It’s been tested, piloted, and it’s gone through rigorous research to show that it reduces hunger and increases the intake of nutritious foods.”
Kate Maehr, CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, said kids with regular access to good food are healthier and perform better in school.
“For too many parents and children in Illinois, those parents are faced with the terrible decision of having to choose between paying rent, paying utilities or buying food to put on the table,” she said.
An estimated 1.1 million Illinois children are eligible, but the state said the aid will not be ready until late June.
A family of four must earn less than $58,000 per year to qualify for the program.
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