MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) applauds Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signing bills SB112 and SB113 last week, approving $10 million in continued funding to its Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) funding for nutritional assistance while schools are on break. An estimated 545,000 additional children in Alabama will have access to the Summer EBT program and the funding would provide the state with nearly $65.4 million in food assistance dollars to distribute to families with children experiencing food insecurity.
“No child— regardless of race, class, or location— should go hungry in the richest nation on Earth. Feeding hungry children is a moral imperative,” said Jerome Dees, Alabama Policy Director, SPLC. “The Summer EBT Program has proven to be a lifeline for countless families, ensuring that children in households experiencing food insecurity receive the nourishment they need even when schools are closed.”
Due to SPLC’s advocacy efforts alongside Alabama Arise, and other advocates, the 2025-2026 Education Trust Fund (ETF) budget will gain the aforementioned $10 million for the Summer EBT program. An additional $7.3 million, appropriated to the ETF Supplemental Budget, will be used to launch a school breakfast program for a total appropriation of $17.3 million.
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About the Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.