The Healthy Kids Iowa program aimed to help children in need during the summer, but the results have been disappointing. At a recent meeting of the Marshall County Food Access Committee, representatives discussed how things went this past summer.
Healthy Kids Iowa was launched after Governor Kim Reynolds opted out of the $29 million Summer EBT program, which could have provided financial support to 245,000 eligible kids. In Marshall County alone, around 4,000 children would have benefited from $120 EBT cards for summer meals.
However, reports show that only about 20% of eligible Iowa children received food through the Healthy Kids initiative. This raises concerns, as even reaching 65,000 children would still leave a significant gap compared to the potential of Summer EBT.
Marshall County Extension Director Amy Pieper noted that other states using Summer EBT provided $30 monthly for kids. Iowa, on the other hand, offered $40 food boxes each month, focusing on nutritious items. Local volunteers distributed these boxes through the Emergency Food Box and the Salvation Army. Over the summer, they served more than 1,000 children and several hundred families.
Despite this, many families faced challenges. Pieper pointed out that transportation issues limited accessibility, as there were no other distribution locations in the county. Statistics from the Iowa Hunger Coalition also suggested a drop in the number of children served compared to previous programs.
Another concern was the content of the food boxes. While some items like chocolate spread were popular, others, such as chickpea spread, were not accepted well. Volunteer Sandy Bennett shared that the focus on nutrition sometimes missed the mark with families’ needs and preferences.
Moreover, Chickering mentioned a broader frustration among food pantries across Iowa. Many felt that the Healthy Kids program was complicated and hard to manage, especially without enough volunteers. “There’s a sense that we could be more effective,” she said, highlighting the intricate logistics involved in food distribution.
Financial transparency has also been an issue. Chickering has requested clearer data on the costs associated with running Healthy Kids versus the Summer EBT program. Many food banks quickly ran out of the funds provided by the state, forcing them to use their own resources to keep the program going.
The community’s economic impact from this initiative has been felt deeply, as noted by Hitchins. She and others encourage a return to the Summer EBT system, arguing it would effectively support families and address the challenges they face.
As communities reflect on the success and shortcomings of the Healthy Kids Iowa program, it sparks a conversation about how best to serve families in need. Ensuring that all children receive the support they deserve remains a priority.
For more information on initiatives like this, you can check resources from the [Iowa Hunger Coalition](https://iowahunger.org/), which provides insights on food access challenges in the state.
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Todays News,State summer feeding program bears problems, costs for food banks
