I offer this letter in praise of Senate President Cameron Henry, House Speaker Phillip DeVillier and members of the Legislature, who have secured funding of the Summer EBT program.
The quality of life for children in Louisiana is consistently ranked at or near the bottom, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a well regarded institute that studies the welfare of children in all the states. These findings are confirmed by others who rate health, educational, safety and social development.
A major contributor to the poor rating is the poverty in which nearly a third of our children live. Children living in poverty are more likely to suffer from a lack of proper diet. There is a growing understanding that poverty and hunger affect children’s cognitive development, leading to poorer academic performance.
The Summer EBT program is offered and funded 90% by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and will provide meals to nearly 600,000 children who live in the shadows of life in Louisiana and are classified as “at risk” and living below the poverty level. While the moral obligation to feed these children is clear, the federal dollars will also be positive for the economy.
A society is judged by how it cares for its children – all of its children. I applaud those who helped ensure Louisiana takes advantage of the Summer EBT program.
RANDY L. EWING
former Louisiana Senate president
Ruston