OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — There is a new federal program rolling out this summer to feed kids who rely on free or reduced lunch during the school year, but Oklahoma is not participating this year.
States had until January 1 to send in a letter of intent to opt into the USDA program. Governor Kevin Stitt declined. With roughly 500,000 students on reduced lunch programs in Oklahoma, according to the USDA (a number also rejected by Governor Stitt), federal funding is estimated at $60 million a year. The governor said there wasn’t enough vetting in the new program to opt in.
“We gave over $20 million over the last couple of years to different food banks,” he said. “So, we are satisfied that kids won’t be going hungry in the summertime, we just don’t know enough about the program; not saying we won’t do it next year.”
The EBT debit-card-style program is set to dole out $40 per month per eligible child. Stitt said there were concerns over logistics, adding the available SNAP benefits have been sufficient in feeding Oklahomans.
He said he is leery of money from the Biden Administration coming with strings attached.
“Certainly always a concern with certain administrations are pushing certain agenda items on kids,” Stitt said.
The federal government will fund the benefits, but Oklahoma would have to pay for half the cost of running the program. That cost and other factors are unknown.
Hunger Free Oklahoma CEO Chris Bernard says Oklahoma ranks at the bottom for food security, despite the governor’s beliefs.
“It is disappointing, it really is,” he said. “You’re going to see a lot of folks struggling who don’t need to because we are giving up the opportunity to leverage a bunch of federal dollars to address a problem we know we have and really, they are taxpayer dollars that we paid to DC that we would like to see come back here.”
Tribes are eligible for the program as well. Cherokee and Chickasaw Nations sent letters of intent. In a statement, Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Junior called Stitt’s decision to “abandon federal funding,” “regrettable and bewildering.” In a post on X, Oklahoma Representative Melissa Provenzano criticized the move, adding, “We had no qualms passing the school voucher program last session despite having no idea how it would roll out.”
Bernard said he was hopeful if more program elements could be ironed out that perhaps Oklahoma would have a change of heart in time to implement it this year. 2News asked Governor Stitt that question specifically and he said no change of heart was possible this year.
Other governors have optioned out for varying reasons. Iowa’s governor reportedly said the EBT card wouldn’t ensure kids are getting proper nutrition. Nebraska’s governor reportedly said he simply doesn’t believe in welfare.
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