Duval County

Local families will get extra food stamp benefits for the summer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — More help is on the way for families and their children struggling because of the pandemic.

Now, some families will automatically receive new benefits so their kids can eat for the summer.

Corinne Broskey is taking care of her three grandchildren.

On Thursday she took them down to get free lunch at Windy Hill Elementary School.

"I can make them something to eat but they get a nutritional lunch here and it’s a nice walk up here and I don’t have to do anything," said Broskey.

Broskey said it hasn’t been easy. She lost her job because of COVID-19 and has been helping her grandchildren with their online school work.

“We struggle now and I’ll be glad when everything is back to normal,” she said.

On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the federal approval of the Pandemic EBT Program.

The program is a partnership between the Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Families who have children already on free and reduced lunch don’t need to apply.

Instead, the program will automatically increase the money families are given through their EBT cards starting in June.

It will go to the more than 2 million children in Florida on free or reduced lunch.

Broskey told me she uses her EBT card to make sure her family is fed.

“We all need help right now so this is good. All this is very good, I’m happy to have it. I appreciate it, you know,” she said.

It will give children that have lost their summer meals the ability to eat fresh foods and vegetables.

The Duval County School district said while their spring lunches end Friday, they will begin doing free summer lunches starting June 8th. After June 1, you can view

the schools participating in the program here.