Raising a growing boy as a single parent is full of daily challenges.
As a father, I want my son to understand the value of healthy choices. When we cook together, he’s my right hand, rinsing asparagus or carefully learning to use a kitchen knife on potatoes. I love watching his focus on these ‘little yet big’ tasks and answering his questions as we work.
I am constantly amazed at all the ways he is growing and changing. One of the biggest challenges is my son’s growing appetite. Seven-year-olds are hungry! That’s why I’m very grateful for the assistance we receive from SNAP and free lunches at school. That extra help makes a world of difference, especially now with food prices going through the roof.
The problem is that, each year, those school meals disappear when school goes on break for the summer. My son’s daily appetite is not going to change. He’s still going to be hungry. And I’m going to find a way to stretch our household budget to cover the cost of increasingly expensive groceries over the long weeks of summer break. If only there was a program designed to help families ensure their kids get the nutrition they need during the summer so that they can return to school in the fall ready to learn.
Well, there is such a program. It’s called Summer EBT, or SUN Bucks, and our Georgia state leaders are in the process of deciding whether to opt into this federal program for summer 2027 right now. The Georgia House approved $2 million in funding as a downpayment on what the state’s $5 million share of the cost of the program would be. The state Senate is considering it now. If approved, it’ll head to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature and become law.
SUN Bucks would provide eligible students with $120 in grocery benefits during the summer months to help replace the essential nutrition school meals provided during the school year. My family isn’t the only one that would benefit from this program. SUN Bucks would help approximately 1.1 million Georgia children access healthy food during the summer. That means all those kids could continue to grow, thrive and return to the classroom in the fall ready to learn — not held back by the “summer slide” in learning.
As a parent, I can tell you that an added $120 in our grocery budget would mean more fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and protein — all things a growing boy needs. It would mean the difference between more nutritious foods for him and fewer skipped meals for me to make sure he gets all that he needs.
When we sit down to eat, my son will often say, “Dad, this turned out really good!” and I make sure he knows it was the fruit of our combined efforts. But as we clear the table, I find myself doing the “pantry math.” Seeing his appetite grow alongside his skills is a proud moment, but it’s also a constant reminder of the pressure to keep those fresh, healthy choices on the table every day, especially when the school year ends.
Georgia has a chance to participate in an amazing program that can make a real difference for kids and families. Across the country, 37 states already take part in the SUN Bucks program. It’s time for Georgia to take this step forward and help families that need it the most — families like mine.
Lymore, of Fitzgerald, is a member of the No Kid Hungry SNAP Parent and Caregiver Advisory Council.
