By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – If life were a Nat King Cole song, the upcoming days of summer would be lazy, hazy, crazy, and be saturated in soda, pretzels, and beer.

For many American children, it’s quite the opposite.

“A staggering half of Illinois students qualify for free or reduced-price meals,” Illinois State Board of Education superintendent Tony Sanders said at a news conference Thursday at Enos Elementary School in Springfield. “For many students, the meals they receive at school might be their most substantial and reliable source of nutrition. This means when the final school bell rings, and when summer begins here shortly, there is a heightened risk of childhood hunger. This is where Sun Bucks, or Summer EBT steps in. It’s not merely a program. It’s a lifeline for families in need.”

Gov. JB Pritzker, at the same event, said the program is an extension of what he called a pandemic-era “stopgap” federal program, and that Illinois is one of the first states to enact it.

Sanders’ agency, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository are administering the program.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]