Thread by @MorePerfectUS

NEW: This is a huge story.

The American Rescue Plan has transformed how we fight hunger in the U.S. More than *30 million children* are now eligible for food benefits this summer through the new P-EBT program.

And the mainstream media has mostly ignored it.

When the media does cover hunger, they often show long lines at food banks. This spreads the idea that most food aid comes from private charities.

It doesn't.

The federal government spends 15x more on food support than *every charity in America.*

The federal safety net is "the largest and frankly the most effective" anti-hunger force in the country, says @Joelsberg, CEO of the nonprofit @HungerFreeUSA.

This year, the American Rescue Plan funded a new national program called P-EBT.

Tens of millions of families are eligible for a $375 summer cash payment for buying food directly.

This approach cuts child hunger by ~30% during summer, research found.

For decades, low-income kids have had more difficulty getting free meals during summer. Rules required them to eat in-person at physical meal sites.

As a result, during summer, as few as 1 in 7 eligible kids accessed free meals.

P-EBT is changing this.

But the P-EBT is only funded for 2021.

President Biden & anti-hunger advocates want to make it permanent.

Tell your senators to support permanent funding for the P-EBT now.