AFSC's Jon Krieg, Patti McKee of Des Moines Valley Friends Meeting, and Tiffany Welch, a Save the Children volunteer, at the Iowa State Capitol Paige Chickering
Next summer just got brighter for around 240,000 kids from low-income families in Iowa. Gov. Kim Reynolds agreed to opt into the USDA’s Sun Bucks program, which will provide eligible students with $120 in food assistance during the three months when school is out.
This win comes after two years of advocacy by a coalition of community members and organizations, including AFSC.
The change will bring an influx of nearly $29 million in food benefits to families in Iowa—generating over $43 million for the local economy, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). This boost is especially critical as Iowa—and the rest of the country—braces for drastic cuts to SNAP and other food assistance enacted in recent federal legislation.
Sun Bucks was created by Congress in 2023 with bipartisan support. While most of the funding is federal, states must share administrative costs, which are minor compared with the overall benefits. At this writing, all but 11 states have implemented the program.
AFSC developed the No Hunger Summer campaign to encourage Quakers and like-minded allies to advocate for the program in the holdout states. Iowa Friends actively supported the effort, along with strong community partners such as the Iowa Hunger Coalition.
Under pressure from advocates, Gov. Reynolds applied for a waiver in 2025 to try an alternative approach. But that only reached a fraction of eligible children who would have otherwise benefited from the Sun Bucks program. This year’s news represents a great advance.
From left, Patti McKee of DMVF, Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for Save the Children Action Network and vice chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition, and SCAN volunteer Tiffany Welch
When the change was announced, Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for Save the Children Action Network and vice chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition, said “Today’s announcement is a huge win for every single Iowan. It’s a win for Iowa’s kids, it’s a win for Governor Reynolds, it’s a win for retailers, it’s a win for rural economies, it’s a win for food banks and food pantries, and it’s a win for Iowa’s anti-hunger advocates who have relentlessly worked to ensure Iowa participates in Summer EBT.”
We hope this win helps move other holdout states to implement this vital program. Food justice—and especially feeding kids—has been part of AFSC’s work for over 100 years. We remain as committed as ever to ensuring all people have the resources they need to thrive.
