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Advocates press committee to fund Summer EBT administration and reimburse stolen EBT benefits
Summary
Multiple hunger and child-advocacy groups asked the Committee on Social Services Budget to include $925,000 to administer Summer EBT, which would draw down nearly $65 million in federal benefits for Kansas families, and $100,000 to reimburse families whose EBT benefits were stolen via skimming.
Advocates from Kansas Action for Children, Kansas Appleseed, Harvesters Community Food Network and other food-security organizations urged the House Committee on Social Services Budget to adopt funding that would allow Kansas to administer the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program and to reimburse households whose EBT funds were stolen by skimming.
Adrienne Ullnick, vice president of Kansas Action for Children, said Summer EBT helps combat childhood hunger in the summer months and asked the committee to include $925,000 in the DCF budget to administer the program. Ullnick said the administrative match would enable Kansas to draw down roughly $65 million in federal Summer EBT benefits that would be distributed to eligible families each summer.
Karen Siebert of Harvesters, the community food network, said Kansas' three food banks distributed more than $46 million in food last year and that Summer EBT has strong local economic effects: the benefit provides roughly $120 per eligible child during summer months and returns money to grocery stores statewide. Siebert also asked the committee to add $100,000 to replace EBT benefits stolen by criminals through card-skimming schemes; she said federal reimbursement ended Oct. 1, 2024, and Kansas currently lacks a path to replace those stolen benefits.
Haley Kotler of Kansas Appleseed also testified in support of Summer EBT, citing research and survey evidence in written testimony showing increased child food insecurity during summer months and arguing the program is a strong return on state investment.
Ending: Advocates asked that administrative and reimbursement funding be included in the DCF budget to ensure benefits reach families and to protect recipients from fraud losses; the committee did not vote on the request during the hearing.
