As plans progress for 2025, don’t overlook kids and summer feeding programs | Opinion

Support summer EBT

Last year, Governor McMaster stood firm in his decision to reject federal funds to support a statewide Summer EBT program.

This means that federal tax dollars paid by hard-working citizens of South Carolina went to feed children across the nation, but their money was blocked from helping children in their own backyards.

While there is an administrative cost to the state, $3 million, there would be more than $65 million dollars going into the local economy from this program.

As budgetary plans for 2025 take shape, hungry children should be a good enough reason to support this program, and the economic boost should seal the deal.

So many children in our state rely on school meals and struggle to maintain proper nutrition during the summers.

Under Summer EBT, families could receive $40 per eligible child, per month, for a total of $120 to use for nutritious food.

Gov. McMaster, please do not deny this wonderful program from having positive impacts in our state this year.

Heather Blackwell, West Columbia

Prioritize ending TB

Although the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2024 passed in the United States Senate, cases have risen globally with 10.5 million people falling ill in 2021, and the act has yet to be passed in the House.

The impact of the COVID-19 virus within the United States sheds light on the devastation that a disease outbreak can cause.

For other nations, this devastation is nothing new. The devastation of tuberculosis continues to persist, and now, according to Results, a poverty advocacy organization, tuberculosis is the second leading infectious worldwide killer following COVID-19.

COVID-19 also shed light on the need for global allyship.

According to Results, The Global Fund, which is outlined in the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2024, is one of the many strategies to end tuberculosis.

The act would also allow the strengthening of U.S. bilateral coordination with the Global Fund and other organizations to fund tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS prevention, and allow many more critical implementations.

As a South Carolina volunteer with Results, I call for Rep. Joe Wilson to pass the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2024.

Candace Fant, Irmo

Needs on the rise

Note: The writer is executive director of the Lowcountry Red Cross.

The holidays are a time to come together — not just as family and friends, but also as a community.

For thousands in neighboring North Carolina, this year’s disasters left them vulnerable and with the need to seek refuge at an emergency shelter, in temporary housing or with loved ones.

But there’s hope, thanks to volunteers and donors whose support through the American Red Cross is helping people to rebuild their lives.

The need for this help is growing. Today, we’re responding to twice as many major U.S. disasters as we did a decade ago — all on top of local, everyday crises like home fires that are no less heartbreaking.

Last year, the Lowcountry Red Cross responded to 350 local disasters, assisted 1,171 with more than $260,000 in financial assistance.

We made more than 700 homes safer through education and smoke alarm installs.

We provided 2,400 case services to military and veterans and collected over 24,564 units of lifesaving blood.

People are depending on all of us to be there with support when the next crisis strikes.

Visit redcross.org for more information.

Brint Patrick, Charleston