Gov. Kemp vetoes summer meal aid for GA children. Here’s why and what to do next

For the third summer in a row, Georgia children won’t get access to the federal program that puts grocery money directly in families’ hands when school is out, also known as SUN Bucks.

Gov. Brian Kemp vetoed $2 million in state funding for the program, leaving Columbus-area families to rely on the local, site-based meal programs.

Is this the same as the summer meal program?

The SUN bucks program is different from the meals provided by Muscogee County School Districts or other local resources. Georgia has not participated since the program launched, however the MCSD program only runs through the month of June.

Only about 13% of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch are being served through summer meal program statewide. This is largely because of transportation barriers and restricted meal windows, and SUN Bucks was designed to reach the families the sites don’t.

SUN Bucks (Summer EBT)

• A federally funded cash benefit program
• Provides eligible families with grocery money to replace school meals lost over summer break
• Families use an EBT card at authorized stores, on their own schedule

Local summer meal programs

• These are federally funded site-based programs
• Children eat free meals at designated locations during set hours
• This is what MCSD runs and it’s still operating this summer

Why did Georgia veto SUN Bucks?

The governor’s office told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2024 that there were concerns around the program’s “lack of nutrition standards” and “fiscal sustainability,” despite the legislature approving the funding with bipartisan support.

The vetoed $2 million would have served as a down payment to launch the program in summer 2027, that could have served an estimated 1.2 million eligible Georgia children.

Assistance for local children

Muscogee County School District’s 2026 Summer Meals Program offers free breakfast and lunch to children 18 and under at school and community sites across Columbus.

• It runs June 1–30, Monday through Thursday
• Breakfast is served from 9 to 9:30 a.m.
• Lunch 12:30 to 1 p.m.
• Children must eat on site

School sites include:

• Arnold Middle
• Britt David Magnet Academy
• Clubview Elementary
• Dimon Magnet Academy
• Dorothy Heights Elementary
• Double Churches Middle
• Georgetown Elementary
• Jordan Vocational High
• Midland Middle
• Reese Road Leadership Academy
• Rigdon Road Elementary
• River Road Elementary
• South Columbus Elementary

Community sites include:

• All three YMCA locations (DA Turner, AJ McClung, John P. Thayer)
• Girls Inc.
• Baker Center and DH
• Open Door Community House
• The Salvation Army,
• Columbus Parks & Rec sites

Other resources for food-insecure families:

• USDA meal site finder
• Text “FOOD” to 304-304
• No Kid Hungry
• Call or text for 211 local food assistance referrals
• Apply to SNAP
• CALL MCSD School Nutrition: 706-748-2386 for local guidance
• Feeding the Valley Food Bank

The local summer meal program ends on June 30, so if you need further assistance, you can search the Georgia directory for food assistance or check local resources.