The Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) program in Montana was removed from House Bill 2 in Section B last week. This program provides critical food assistance to over 75,000 children in Montana, helping families access nutritious food during the summer months when school meals are unavailable. Without the Summer EBTprogram, many families – especially those in rural communities – will face increased food insecurity and children will miss out on the nutritional support they need to thrive. We need your help to ensure that this vital program continues to support and strengthen Montana’s children and families.
How You Can Help:
Contact Senator Russ Tempel (Chester, MT) and the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services (Section B) and urge them to restore funding for the SummerEBT program. Share the importance of this program for families, children, and Montana communities and future.
Instructions for how to contact Section B can are:
- Go to the following link to submit a written comment: https://www.legmt.gov/participate/
- Click the “Public Participation Application” button.
- You’ll be redirected to a page where you’ll need to sign in or create an account.
- Once signed in, you’ll be directed to a page titled “Standing Committee.” Scroll down to the bottom.
- Under the “General” section, click “Send a Message.”
- Choose “To a Committee” from the options.
- In the drop-down menu, select “Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services (B).”
- Select “All Committee Members.”
- Type your comment in the provided field and click “Submit!”
Talking Points to Support Summer EBT Funding:
Vital Support for Low-Income Families
- In many rural communities, Summer EBT is an imperative option when school is not in session, summer being the hungriest time for children. Cutting this program would mean removing a critical source of summer food assistance for families who need it.
- Summer feeding through school districts and nonprofits typically only lasts 6-8 weeks, even though summer break lasts 10-11 weeks. EBT is the only summer meal program that can be utilized throughout the entire summer break.
Economic Benefits to Montana Communities: The program injects millions of dollars into local economies, supporting grocery stores and local businesses that rely on these sales to thrive.
Positive Impact on Child Health and Well-being: By ensuring children receive nutritious meals, the Summer EBT program supports better health, mental well-being, and readiness to succeed in school.
Federal Funding Opportunity: Summer EBT is federally funded, meaning Montana provides minimal state resources to secure significant federal funds for the program. Cutting the program means losing federal dollars that could help families and support the state’s economy. It would be a missed opportunity to forgo these federal funds, which could greatly benefit families and strengthen the state’s economy.
- According to the Governor’s budget, Montana’s share of the $161,611,703 program in 2026 is estimated to be $663,082.
- Montana’s share of the $161,860,300 program in 2027 is estimated to be $538,637.
Improving Long-Term Economic Stability: Investing in food assistance today helps reduce future costs related to poor nutrition, healthcare, and behavioral issues, saving taxpayers in the long run.
Addressing Rural Food Insecurity: The program is especially important for rural communities, where access to affordable and nutritious food can be scarce. Summer EBT helps ensure that these communities aren’t left behind, summer is the hungriest time for children and hardest time for these families.
Cost-Effective Way to Combat Hunger: For a relatively small investment, Summer EBT delivers significant benefits by reducing childhood hunger, improving health, and enhancing educational outcomes for children. Eligibility is based on existing school lunch program criteria, ensuring benefits reach children who are most likely to experience food insecurity during the summer.
Bipartisan Support: The Summer EBT program has previously received bipartisan support. It was also included in the Governor’s budget.
We appreciate your partnership in ensuring that Montana’s children have access to the food they need to succeed.