More than half a million children across Alabama will have greater access to meals year-round, following the passage of two bills that funnel $17.3 million into food assistance programs as part of the state’s 2025-2026 Education Trust Fund budget.

According to a news release, Gov. Kay Ivey recently signed SB112 and SB113 into law, directing $10 million toward continued funding of Alabama’s Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) program, which helps families feed children while schools are out. Per the release, the new investment is expected to help an estimated 545,000 additional children, providing nearly $65.4 million in federal food assistance to eligible households.

“No child — regardless of race, class or location — should go hungry in the richest nation on Earth. Feeding hungry children is a moral imperative,” Jerome Dees, Alabama policy director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in the release. “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.”

The funding comes after sustained advocacy from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Alabama Arise and other hunger-focused organizations. The state’s supplemental education budget includes an additional $7.3 million to establish a new school breakfast program, bringing the total food-focused allocation to $17.3 million.

Summer EBT, which is federally funded and administered by states, provides grocery benefits to low-income families with school-aged children during the summer months. Alabama’s renewed participation means eligible families will receive monthly food benefits loaded onto electronic cards, helping to reduce the summer hunger gap that many students face.

More information about the SPLC’s hunger relief advocacy is available at www.splcenter.org.