The Greater Boston Food Bank’s Statement on the Introduction of the American Families Plan
The Greater Boston Food Bank’s Statement on the Introduction of the American Families Plan
April 30, 2021 – The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) applauds the Biden administration for its key nutrition investments for our families and children through the proposed American Families Plan. GBFB and our network of nearly 600 food distribution partners across Eastern Massachusetts have responded to a historic level of demand for food during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we know that the bolstering of our federal nutrition programs over the past 14 months has played a key role in the nation’s anti-hunger response.
The American Families Plan builds upon the significant steps that President Biden has already taken to alleviate food insecurity across the country and in Massachusetts and includes:
- Making Summer EBT permanent and allowing all 29 million children who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals to access the program.
- Allowing for automatic free school meal eligibility for children who receive Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- Increasing the number of high-poverty schools eligible for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and lowering the CEP eligibility requirement for elementary schools.
- Providing $1 billion to further improve school nutrition standards.
- Restoring Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) access to formerly incarcerated individuals convicted of drug-related felonies.
This proposal is an important path forward to ensuring that all of our families and children have access to nutritious food. GBFB looks forward to advocating for the American Families Plan to members of our Massachusetts congressional delegation as we continue to respond to the heightened demand for food across Eastern Massachusetts. Together, we will end hunger here.