Tennessee Netted $269M In Benefits Through Pandemic Meal Program For Children
Pandemic-related Benefits Issued To Tennessee Low-income Households Through Electronic Cards Issued By The Federal Food And Nutrition Service Totaled $269,367,286 During Fiscal Year 2020.
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Published March 25, 2021
The Center Square –
Pandemic-related benefits issued to Tennessee low-income households through electronic cards issued by the federal Food and Nutrition Service totaled $269,367,286 during fiscal year 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported.
The average number of Tennessee households participating in the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) was 297,473, according to the USDA. The benefits were provided through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 and related appropriations that allow the agriculture secretary to sign off on state plans to administer the program.
President Joe Biden in January expanded the benefit program, which aids children who were missing meals because of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The food aid is provided to children who would have received free or low-cost meals under the National School Lunch Act had their schools been open to regular in-person learning, according to the USDA.
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Aid by State:
| State / Territory | September 2020 Participation (Households) | September 2020 Cost of Benefits Issued | FY 2020 March-September Participation (Avg. Households) | FY 2020 (Through September) Cost of Benefits Issued |
| Alabama | 2,296 | $786,882 | 29,579 | $133,252,162 |
| Alaska | 19,781 | $14,672,145 | 13,154 | $21,506,110 |
| Arizona | 4,074 | $1,451,640 | 89,071 | $200,863,970 |
| Arkansas | 0 | $0 | 263,477 | $99,411,246 |
| California | 1,900,358 | $626,961,957 | 866,452 | $1,996,728,881 |
| Colorado | 16,802 | $7,963,624 | 24,994 | $49,779,597 |
| Connecticut | 465 | $171,821 | 42,518 | $105,784,128 |
| Delaware | 54,972 | $10,990,340 | 32,752 | $45,058,970 |
| District of Columbia | 38,642 | $7,855,143 | 16,402 | $33,231,081 |
| Florida | 9,056 | $2,825,569 | 149,709 | $687,738,568 |
| Georgia | 0 | $0 | — | $189,686,306 |
| Hawaii | 64,871 | $27,751,238 | 38,986 | $61,188,488 |
| Idaho | 57,728 | $27,640,942 | 37,871 | $38,092,696 |
| Illinois | 303,633 | $79,655,246 | 197,540 | $338,217,328 |
| Indiana | 172,225 | $43,019,773 | 176,388 | $232,137,871 |
| Iowa | 1,575 | $498,020 | 41,323 | $77,396,714 |
| Kansas | 1,269 | $705,999 | 7,329 | $47,896,061 |
| Kentucky | 627,464 | $117,515,937 | 194,703 | $287,249,967 |
| Louisiana | 6,961 | $2,929,435 | 47,377 | $137,155,970 |
| Maine | 91 | $34,853 | 8,870 | $17,496,677 |
| Maryland | 237,139 | $48,796,991 | 120,167 | $244,928,758 |
| Massachusetts | 383,044 | $50,709,052 | 241,145 | $253,910,157 |
| Michigan | 0 | $0 | 360,947 | $373,224,633 |
| Minnesota | 0 | $0 | 44,937 | $86,131,262 |
| Mississippi | 25,574 | $8,763,813 | 49,842 | $100,662,494 |
| Missouri | 153 | $65,130 | 32,576 | $87,447,389 |
| Montana | 6,812 | $1,903,445 | 14,267 | $9,370,494 |
| Nebraska | 4,726 | $923,958 | 16,984 | $25,542,544 |
| Nevada | 100,591 | $48,184,609 | 100,531 | $48,184,609 |
| New Hampshire | 0 | $49,385 | 8,513 | $10,129,694 |
| New Jersey | 348,510 | $52,607,004 | 197,364 | $305,806,690 |
| New Mexico | 251,491 | $46,820,023 | 79,652 | $95,680,731 |
| New York | 631,248 | $265,913,244 | 458,712 | $1,036,641,250 |
| North Carolina | 0 | $0 | 320,329 | $332,304,796 |
| North Dakota | 121 | $52,531 | 5,985 | $9,544,293 |
| Ohio | 500,323 | $58,289,544 | 164,120 | $320,025,177 |
| Oklahoma | 410,595 | $45,599,858 | 205,298 | $45,599,858 |
| Oregon | 0 | $0 | 43,885 | $106,865,924 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,245 | $496,337 | 139,575 | $366,171,910 |
| Rhode Island | 80,789 | $5,628,653 | 27,139 | $34,550,881 |
| South Carolina | 951 | $313,637 | 128,934 | $159,242,156 |
| South Dakota | 11 | $4,275 | 7,484 | $16,682,191 |
| Tennessee | 611,183 | $145,050,905 | 297,473 | $269,367,286 |
| Texas | 1,011 | $357,675 | 268,121 | $816,756,790 |
| Utah | 13,275 | $8,048,964 | 17,566 | $34,171,790 |
| Vermont | 2 | $388 | 3,689 | $15,049,063 |
| Virginia | 420,256 | $70,959,264 | 172,256 | $313,811,417 |
| Virgin Islands | 13,057 | $2,696,102 | 10,175 | $6,473,321 |
| Washington | 7,538 | $5,480,135 | 139,757 | $147,051,450 |
| West Virginia | 10 | $3,013 | 20,111 | $72,635,742 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | $0 | 278,679 | $113,249,867 |
| Wyoming | 25,547 | $7,306,594 | 5,805 | $9,143,554 |
