Facing public pressure from lawmakers, food insecurity advocates, and faith leaders, Iowa will plan to pursue federal food aid for school age children after initially stating they didn’t intend to apply.
The Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) distributed a letter signed by over 100 faith leaders from across the state of Iowa encouraging Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, and DHHS Director Kelly Garcia, to submit a proposal to the US. Department of Agriculture for summer P-EBT assistance for school-age children.
DMARC stands alongside the interfaith community in applauding HHS for taking action for the children of our state.
Iowa is just one of ten states that have not yet applied to this program which would provide an estimated $28.9 million in nutrition benefits to 241,000 children in the state of Iowa (according to the Food Research and Action Center). Iowa Health and Human Services must submit a proposal before July 14th in order to be eligible to receive funding.
Pandemic EBT or P-EBT was distributed in fall 2022 and supplied direct funds to be used at local grocers for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants and School Age Children. During the time payments were being distributed, the DMARC Food Pantry Network saw a decline in the percentage of individuals under the age of 18 utilizing a food pantry site.
The funding for 2023 is estimated to be $29 million dollars or $120 per child, and school-age children who are eligible for free or reduced school lunch will be eligible to receive benefits. Action by Congress in December 2022 created a permanent, nationwide Summer EBT program that will begin in 2024.
Read the full letter:
RE: IOWA INTERFAITH LEADERS – FEEDING HUNGRY CHILDREN THIS SUMMER THE RIGHT THING TO DO
Dear Governor Reynolds, Lt. Governor Gregg, and Director Garcia,
Feeding the poor is a universal value shared by all major faith traditions and all cultures – this is especially true when it comes to feeding children.
We, the undersigned Iowa leaders from all across the religious spectrum call on the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide summer nutrition benefits to children in our state through the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program.
At a time when our neighbors need our help now more than ever, we cannot lean on Private charities alone to address the issue of food insecurity. Since other pandemic assistance programs ended, feeding agencies across our state have been struggling to keep up with rising need. Food Pantries in every community are breaking records. Existing summer feeding programs alone are not able to reach every child in need this year.
Iowa needs to use every available resource to reduce food insecurity in our communities, especially for our youngest neighbors. According to Feeding America, 1 in 11 children in Iowa face hunger. Extensive research has shown, children facing household food insecurity will face a higher risk of developmental and behavioral problems, as well as additional health concerns. The P-EBT program benefits children directly, providing the nutrition assistance they need when school meals are not available.
Iowa is just one of 10 states that have not yet applied to this program which would provide an estimated $28.9 million in nutrition benefits to 241,000 children in the state of Iowa (according to the Food Research and Action Center). But time is running out, our state Health and Human Services Agency must act before July 14th.
The many diverse faith traditions and communities of belief in the state of Iowa have a moral imperative to create a future where everyone has the nutritious food they need to live and thrive. Every action to ensure the health and wellbeing of Iowa’s children is an investment in the future of our state and benefit to all people.
We call on our state leadership to take the necessary steps for our state to take part in this common-sense food assistance program. It is a tragedy to let children go hungry when help is available. We call on our state in this challenging time to do the right thing—and feeding children is always the right thing to do.
- Rev. Alejandro Alfaro-Santiz, Trinity Las Américas
- Rev. Ryan Arnold, St. John’s Lutheran, Des Moines
- Rev. Susan Bantz, Grace Lutheran Church, Muscatine, IA
- Rabbi Emily Barton, Tifereth Israel Synagogue
- Amgad Beblawi, United Presbyteries of the Plains, Iowa
- Dr. Brett Becker, Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Amy Becker, Ashworth Church
- Rev. Dr.. Beverlee Bell, United Methodist Church
- Rev. Dr Mary L Bellon, Ph.D., Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation
- Jarad Bernstein, Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines
- Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, United Methodist Church
- Kathryn Bly
- Rev. Minna Bothwell, Capitol Hill Lutheran Church
- Rev. Nicola Bowler, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
- Rev. Steve Braudt, United Methodist Church Of Wilton
- Beverly Butler
- Kyle Carswell, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
- Rev. Brian E. Carter, Aldersgate United Methodist Church
- Pastor John Chaplin
- Jan Christensen, Presbytery of Prospect Hill
- Pastor Brent Clark, Ashworth Church & Ashworth Community Development Corporation
- Pastor David B. Clark, Shenandoah, First UMC
- Rev. Megan M. Clausen, Faith Lutheran Church, ELCA
- Rev. Le Anne Clausen de Montes, Center for Faith and Peacemaking
- Lewis Cox, Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation
- Pastor Lisa Crow, Kalona & Wellman United Methodist Church
- Debora Crowley, Interim Mission Center President, Community of Christ
- Bishop Amy Current, Southeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA
- Diane Daniels, SALUD-Multicultural Health Coalition of Storm Lake
- Rev. Katie Z. Dawson, Immanuel United Methodist Church
- Len Eberhart, United Methodist Church
- Megan Eide, St. Paul Lutheran Church
- Lori Ann Elbermawy, First United Methodist Church
- David Endriss, First United Presbyterian Church of Winterset
- Pastor Rachel Fredericks, Chariton Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
- Pastor Gray Fredericks, Chariton Christian Church
- Rev. Frederick Gaddy, St.Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church
- Pastor Wayne Gallipo, St. John Lutheran Church, Sioux City, IA
- Pastor David Halaas, St. Mark Lutheran Church ELCA
- Tom Chapman, Archdiocese of Dubuque
- Rev. Jodi Hinrichs, Peace Lutheran Church, Adel
- Rep. Lindsay James, State Representative
- Heecheon Jeon, Iowa City First United Methodist Church
- Rev. Patricia Johnson, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
- Bishop Kevin T Jones, Northeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA
- Lloyd Kaufman
- Rev. David Koehler
- Deborah Leksell, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church
- Rev. Kathleen Lotz, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Rev Mary Madison, Children & Families First Inc.
- Rev. Sharon Mahood, Retired priest, Episcopal Church
- Rev. Eve Mahr, St. Andrews Episcopal Church
- Rev. Peter W. Marty, St. Paul Lutheran Church
- Susan W Marty, Madison Market
- The Rev Jean McCarthy, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
- Rev. Chuck Meyer, Augustana Lutheran Church, Sioux City
- Rev. Jack L Mithelman, ELCA Clergy (retired)
- The Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
- Rev. Andrea J. Myers, St. Stephen Lutheran Church (ELCA)
- Sally Nadolsky, New Beginnings Christian Church
- Rev. Karen Nichols Dungan, United Methodist Church
- Rev. Del Olivier, First Congregational United Church of Christ
- Rev. Dr. Timothy V. Olson, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
- Merry Orcutt, Trinity Las Americas United Methodist Church
- Pastor Paul D. Ostrem, ELCA
- Rev. Eric Pasanchin, Ankeny Presbyterian Church
- Rev. Joshua Patty, Regional Minister & President,
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest - Rev. Peter A. Pettit, PhD., St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport IA
- Rev. Dr. Doug Pfeiffer
- Rev. Bill Poland, Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church
- Rev. Dr. Catherine Quehl-Engel, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
- Pastor Laurie L. Riley, Janesville and Hudson United Methodist Caurches
- Jodi Rushing
- Rev. Ryan M. Russell, United Methodist Church
- Monique Scarlett, Unity in The Community
- Rev. Mel Schlachter, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
- Rev. Mark Schlenker, ELCA
- Rev. Tania Schramm, Grace Lutheran Church – Adel
- Laura Sherlock
- Pastor Susan Simmons, Shell Rock Valley Parish
- Baljit Singh Virdi, Iowa Sikh Association
- Anthony Smith, Johnson County Interfaith Coalition
- Nicole Smith, Ames First United Methodist Church
- Clare Smith-Larson, Capitol Hill Christian Church
- Nermin Spahic, Islamic & Cultural Center Bosniak
- Rev. Travis Stanley, Norwalk Christian Church
- Rev. Jane Stewart, New Song Episcopal Church, Coralville, IA
- Rev. Peter Strobel, Plymouth Congregational Church United Church of Christ
- Jean Swenson, Iowa MFSA, co-chair
- Pastor Rachel Thorson Mithelman
- Rev. Douglas Tiffany, Hospice Chaplain/Lutheran Pastor
- John Tyson, Des Moines Mennonite Church
- Rev. Trevor Vaughn, Immanuel United Methodist Church
- Rev. Katy Warren, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport
- Diane Wasson Eberhart, Retired United Methodist Church Clergy
- Dana welser, Madison market
- Kit J. Whan, Madison Market/ St Paul
- Pastor Alaire Willits, United Methodist Church
- Rev. Kathleen Wohlers, ELCA (retired)
- Rev. Dr. Jared Wortman, Plymouth Congregational Church
- Bishop Thomas R. Zinkula, Diocese of Davenport
