Florida netted $688 million in benefits through pandemic meal program for children
(The Center Square) – Pandemic-related benefits issued to Florida low-income households through electronic cards issued by the federal Food and Nutrition Service totaled $687,738,568 during fiscal year 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported.
The average number of Florida households participating in the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) was 149,709, according to the USDA. The benefits were provided through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 and related appropriations that allow the agriculture secretary to sign off on state plans to administer the program.
President Biden in January expanded the benefit program, which aids children who were missing meals due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The food aid is provided to children who would have received free or low-cost meals under the National School Lunch Act had their schools been open to regular in-person learning, according to the USDA.
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Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Aid by State
State / TerritorySeptember 2020 Participation (Households)September 2020 Cost of Benefits IssuedFY 2020 March-September Participation (Avg. Households)FY 2020 (Through September) Cost of Benefits IssuedAlabama2,296$786,88229,579$133,252,162Alaska19,781$14,672,14513,154$21,506,110Arizona4,074$1,451,64089,071$200,863,970Arkansas0$0263,477$99,411,246California1,900,358$626,961,957866,452$1,996,728,881Colorado16,802$7,963,62424,994$49,779,597Connecticut465$171,82142,518$105,784,128Delaware54,972$10,990,34032,752$45,058,970District of Columbia38,642$7,855,14316,402$33,231,081Florida9,056$2,825,569149,709$687,738,568Georgia0$0–$189,686,306Hawaii64,871$27,751,23838,986$61,188,488Idaho57,728$27,640,94237,871$38,092,696Illinois303,633$79,655,246197,540$338,217,328Indiana172,225$43,019,773176,388$232,137,871Iowa1,575$498,02041,323$77,396,714Kansas1,269$705,9997,329$47,896,061Kentucky627,464$117,515,937194,703$287,249,967Louisiana6,961$2,929,43547,377$137,155,970Maine91$34,8538,870$17,496,677Maryland237,139$48,796,991120,167$244,928,758Massachusetts383,044$50,709,052241,145$253,910,157Michigan0$0360,947$373,224,633Minnesota0$044,937$86,131,262Mississippi25,574$8,763,81349,842$100,662,494Missouri153$65,13032,576$87,447,389Montana6,812$1,903,44514,267$9,370,494Nebraska4,726$923,95816,984$25,542,544Nevada100,591$48,184,609100,531$48,184,609New Hampshire0$49,3858,513$10,129,694New Jersey348,510$52,607,004197,364$305,806,690New Mexico251,491$46,820,02379,652$95,680,731New York631,248$265,913,244458,712$1,036,641,250North Carolina0$0320,329$332,304,796North Dakota121$52,5315,985$9,544,293Ohio500,323$58,289,544164,120$320,025,177Oklahoma410,595$45,599,858205,298$45,599,858Oregon0$043,885$106,865,924Pennsylvania1,245$496,337139,575$366,171,910Rhode Island80,789$5,628,65327,139$34,550,881South Carolina951$313,637128,934$159,242,156South Dakota11$4,2757,484$16,682,191Tennessee611,183$145,050,905297,473$269,367,286Texas1,011$357,675268,121$816,756,790Utah13,275$8,048,96417,566$34,171,790Vermont2$3883,689$15,049,063Virginia420,256$70,959,264172,256$313,811,417Virgin Islands13,057$2,696,10210,175$6,473,321Washington7,538$5,480,135139,757$147,051,450West Virginia10$3,01320,111$72,635,742Wisconsin0$0278,679$113,249,867Wyoming25,547$7,306,5945,805$9,143,554
Source: Food and Nutrition Service
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