Weatherford ISD serving summer lunches

On June 22, Texas Governor Greg Abbott vetoed $60 million in funding for a federal summer food program, Summer EBT, or Electronic Benefits Transfer. The program helps low-income families purchase groceries for their children during the summer months if they qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches during the academic year.

Abbott’s reasoning for the veto was connected to long-time financial concerns, citing “significant uncertainty.”

Families who qualified for such assistance would have received a one-time payment of $120 to provide for extra groceries during the summer months, a time when children in some places don’t have the option of a free or reduced-price lunch.

Abbott’s decision sparked anger among groups such as Every Texan and Feeding Texas.

However, officials in the Weatherford Independent School District insist that, despite Abbott’s veto, if children want lunch they’ll get a lunch. In fact, they said it could actually increase the amount of children fed through the summer free lunch program.

Lori Boswell, the district’s assistant superintendent of business and operations, noted their summer meals are federally reimbursed through the Seamless Summer Option, administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

“The SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) program was intended to complement our efforts by helping families purchase groceries during the summer months. If anything, this decision could increase the number of meals we serve to eligible students through our existing program,” she said.

SUN Bucks is a program similar to the funds given out during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Sheree’ Satcher, director of child nutrition for the WISD.

“Governor Abbott vetoed the allocation for these benefits, because there was no guarantee in reimbursement from the federal government,” Satcher said. “It will not effect the WISD summer meal program, except potentially increase the participation in the summer meal sites. Since we are reimbursed after meals are served, we will receive the full reimbursement for those meals.

“So, I don’t think it will affect the child nutrition department at all, and since we’re supposed to be ‘self-sufficient,’ it shouldn’t affect the district at all either.”

A school district is considered self-sufficient when it operates with a high degree of financial independence and resourcefulness, minimizing reliance on external funding sources and maximizing its ability to generate revenue or manage resources internally.

According to Every Texan, nearly four million Texas children qualify for free or reduced lunch during the school year. The advocate group also argued the governor’s veto stands in contrast to statewide support for Summer EBT, which was established in 2024 by the USDA to alleviate hunger during the summer.

Advocates for the program are pushing for reconsideration during a special session. If the governor excludes Summer EBT funding from the special session, Texas lawmakers will have to wait until 2027 to approve it again.

The Weatherford ISD Summer Meals Program continues weekdays through July 18. Lunches will be distributed from noon-12:30 p.m. at Ikard Elementary, 100 Ikard Lane in Weatherford. Lunch is free to all youths ages 18 and younger, regardless of whether they attend school in the WISD or not. The meals must be consumed onsite.