After delay, Florida applies for federal pandemic food aid for low-income families

After initial resistance, Florida applied this week for pandemic-related federal aid that would provide food stamp benefits to low-income families with children, the state Department of Children and Families said Friday.

In a statement, DCF said it applied Thursday for the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) that would provide a one-time benefit of $375 per child to eligible families.

Florida applied for the federal aid to cover the last school year, but didn’t seek benefits for the summer months this year when the program was extended.

The funds are expected to help an estimated 2.7 million children, the agency said.

“Florida is working to expedite the timeline as quickly as possible and expects to distribute the benefits beginning Nov. 15,” DCF spokesperson Mallory McManus said in an email.

The reversal comes after an outcry from childhood nutrition advocates. Commissioner of Agriculture and gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried also made public appeals for DCF and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to submit an application.

In a statement, Fried said she was “relieved” families would be able to get help buying food for their kids, but continued her longstanding criticism for the delay.

“It’s a shame that it took weeks of effort from my department and anti-hunger advocates across the state to convince Governor DeSantis to do something so easy that will help so many families,” Fried said. “My department and I are now eagerly awaiting his application for the nutrition aid that is available for this current school year.”

Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis, previously told the Tampa Bay Times that the money wasn’t needed because children were back in school.

Pushaw referred questions on Friday about the state’s application to DCF.

McManus said DCF submitted the application to address any possible gaps left by the Summer Breakspot program, managed by Fried’s department, which provides about 18.5 million meals to children when school is not in session.

Under the federal program, benefits are available to children who were eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. Children under age 6 whose families were already enrolled in SNAP for the summer are also eligible.

Families receive funds electronically, similar to a debit card, which can be used only for food at grocery stores, selected online grocers and farmer’s markets.

The money has been available since April under the American Rescue Plan Act. So far, 42 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been approved for the federal aid.