DES MOINES, Iowa (WHO-TV) — Around a month and a half ago, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced the state would not opt in to the federal Summer EBT program. The program would give $40 per month to each child in a low-income family during summer months. Organizations have been calling on Reynolds to revert course. Earlier this week Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen changed his decision and opted in to the program. Kollin Crompton, Deputy Communications Director for the Governor’s Office, told WHO-TV, “The Governor’s decision is firm. Pandemic-era programs were not intended to be permanent. The answer isn’t creating a new government program, instead we should be investing in existing programs that work. Iowa already runs summer feeding programs that provide healthy meals for children with fruits, vegetables, milk, grains, and meats/proteins, based on age-appropriate meal patterns. The Governor is investing more into Iowa’s existing programs to focus on expansion and participation across the state.”

Those programs mentioned in the statement can be seen here. The state is seeking sponsors for a federally funded program that provides healthy meals and snacks to kids in low-income areas of the state when school is out. The state is also seeking sponsors for the program to expand availability of the meals and announced a new grant program for it earlier this month. While there will be avenues for children to be fed, democratic senators do not believe that it is enough compared to the $29 million the state could have received from the federal government for Summer EBTs. The state would be required to spend several million dollars to get the $29 million back from the federal government.