# Plain Language Summary: Stop Child Hunger Act of 2023

This bill expands a federal food assistance program to help kids eat during times when school is closed, not just during summer vacation. Currently, the government provides electronic benefits (like a debit card) to low-income families during summer months so children can buy food when they're not getting school meals. This bill extends that same help to cover periods when schools close for other reasons—like bad weather, natural disasters, or if a school has to switch to remote or hybrid learning for more than a week.

The bill increases the amount of money families receive to make sure it covers the cost of breakfast, lunch, and a snack at no charge for each day school is closed. It also doubles the number of states that can participate in this program, from 50 to 100, meaning more states can offer this benefit to their families. Starting in 2024, every state would have the opportunity to participate if they want to. The bill also provides $50 million in federal funding to help states build or improve the computer systems they need to run this expanded program.

Essentially, this means that children from low-income families won't go hungry during unexpected school closures—whether that's a snow day, a pandemic shutdown, or any other situation that keeps kids home from school for an extended period. Instead of families scrambling to figure out how to feed their kids when school meals aren't available, they'll automatically receive extra money on their benefits card to buy groceries.

Stop Child Hunger Act of 2023

Stop Child Hunger Act of 2023This bill expands the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's)&nbsp;Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT) to include coverage during a school closure period. (Summer EBT provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer.) Under the bill, a school closure period means a period in which an elementary school or secondary school is closed, operating remotely, or operating in a hybrid manner for five or more consecutive weekdays during a calendar year.The bill also increases the daily value of the benefit to cover the cost of breakfast, lunch, and a snack for every day school is closed.USDA must pay each state agency and covered tribal organization 100% of the administrative expenses (currently 50%) incurred in operating the program.USDA must also provide grants to states to support the development or upgrading of data systems that are necessary to implement Summer EBT.&nbsp;