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Secretary Tom Vilsack and Education Secretary John B. King, Jr. joined students and other stakeholders at Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Petersburg, Virginia to celebrate the start of the USDA summer meal programs.

Results of USDA's report posted today on the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children demonstration project confirm a significant reduction in food insecurity among participating families. The project tested two benefit levels – $30 and $60 per month per child – both of which were found to reduce the most severe form of food insecurity and led to positive nutritional outcomes.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced $26.9 million in grant funds to be distributed among eight grantees to continue administering pilots of the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer programs, providing summertime nutrition assistance to children who receive free and reduced price meals during the school year. In addition to funding existing pilots for summer 2016, these grants will extend benefits to new rural areas, Tribal Nations, and areas of extreme need including Flint, Michigan. 

Today, the White House will host a conversation about child hunger in America, with experts and direct service providers discussing how hunger continues to harm children across the country. Participants will discuss the role of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other core nutrition programs in ensuring American children have the fuel they need to thrive.