- TO:
- ALL COUNTY OFFICES
- FROM:
- ALYSON CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR
- SUBJECT:
- SUMMER ELECTRONIC BENEFIT FOR CHILDREN (SEBTC)
DISCUSSION:
On December 16, 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded Missouri Department of Social Services a demonstration grant to test new ways to provide nutrition assistance and access to healthy foods to low-income children during the summer. The grant project, the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children (SEBTC), will be piloted in the Kansas City, Missouri area, beginning later this spring. The pilot aims to reduce the level of food insecurity among children during the summer months.
Missouri DSS staff with the Division of Finance and Administrative Services (DFAS) and Family Support Division (FSD) in Central Office will be in partnership with staff from the Local Investment Commission (LINC), Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
SEBTC is designed to provide Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) benefits during the summer break to children who are currently receiving free or reduced lunches through the National School Lunch Program. In this project, a select number of children in the Kansas City, Hickman Mills, and Center school districts will be chosen to participate in the program.
- Local county office staff will not be required to issue benefits or take applications. FSD Central Office staff will be issuing the SEBTC benefits.
- The households in which these children reside will receive $60 in SEBTC benefits per eligible child per summer month.
- The benefits will be loaded to EBT cards and spent like Food Stamp benefits.
- The allowable food items are the same as for Food Stamp benefits.
- SEBTC benefits will be identified separately on ebtEDGE.com, however the cardholder selects “Food Stamps” when accessing the benefits at the store.
- Not all SEBTC participants will be current Food Stamp or Temporary Assistance participants. These households will be issued an EBT card in order to access the SEBTC benefits.
County staff may receive phone calls regarding the SEBTC benefits. Additional information regarding this project will be available closer to the implementation date. If questions are received prior to additional information being provided, send the questions to ColeFSPolicy@dss.mo.gov.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review this memorandum with all appropriate staff.
RT