$120 payment proposed for families with children in underserved TN counties
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Families in two East Tennessee counties could receive a $120 payment under a new proposed $3 million investment in the Summer Food Service Program.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services announced that Governor Bill Lee's administration has proposed an investment of $3 million in the program to reach families in underserved or unserved counties.
If approved by the Tennessee General Assembly, the Tennessee Department of Human Services will provide a $120 one-time payment to eligible children in SNAP and TANF households in underserved or unserved counties. The funds would be added to existing EBT cards.
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To be eligible for this addition to the summer food program families need to be a part of the Families First initiative or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with at least one child between the ages of 5 and 18 and residing in a Tennessee county identified as unserved or underserved by the Summer Food Service Program.
Underserved counties
Benton
Carroll
Carter
Cocke
Fayette
Grainger
Johnson
Lauderdale
Rhea
Unserved counties
Houston
Humphreys
Marshall
Moore
Sequatchie
Sumner
The investment will be included in Lee's FY25-26 budget amendment. Additional information will be shared regarding distribution dates and other program details in the coming months.
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This announcement comes after Tennessee chose not to opt into the Summer EBT Program for 2025. Instead, state leaders said they would focus on the food assistance programs Tennessee already had in place, including the Summer Food Service Program, which has served approximately 3.4 million meals to children.
'With this innovative step, we will go even further to provide food security to Tennessee children,' said TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter. 'This approach will deliver a fiscallyresponsible strategy to reach families in underserved communities in the summer months.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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