Fed funds backing summer food aid for families in Mass.

Roughly 600,000 school-aged children in Massachusetts this summer will benefit from a $70 million federal food program that's designed to help low-income families buy groceries.

The Healey administration announced federal approval of the Summer EBT child food nutrition program on Tuesday, as officials celebrated ways to combat hunger among kids while school's out. The Department of Transitional Assistance is administering the program that spans from June 13 to Sept. 7 and will distribute one-time payments of $120 per child to eligible families, according to a DTA webpage.

"This child nutrition program is a big win because it makes sure children have access to healthy meals through the summer months when we know families' food costs increase," Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a statement. "It also supports our local businesses, grocery stores, corner stores, and farmers. This program is a win-win for everyone in Massachusetts and we can't wait to hit the ground running."

Administration officials say Summer EBT will complement Summer Eats, a program that offers free meals to children and teens ages 18 and under during the summer. The Legislature also funded universal free school meals in the fiscal 2024 budget.

Families enrolled in SNAP, certain MassHealth coverage and other benefit programs will be automatically enrolled in Summer EBT, while other Bay Staters can apply through DTA Connect, Healey's office said.

"When school is out for summer break, hundreds of thousands of students across Massachusetts lose access to regular breakfast and lunch programs, putting them at a higher risk of food insecurity," DTA Commissioner Jeff McCue said. "Summer EBT will serve as a vital resource for our youngest residents, supplying them with the nutrition they need to learn and grow."