Springboard to Opportunities

Support Us

Family Prosperity

Mississippi Today Article: Summer EBT

Mississippi is one of a dozen states where the end of the school year can mean the start of a serious food shortage for families who depend on school meals, due to state leaders opting out of a federal program meant to feed hungry kids when they’re home during the summer. Springboard to Opportunities is helping to close that gap with direct cash assistance for families after the state again opted out of the SUN Bucks program.

Policy choices have real consequences for families — and while community-based solutions can support when systems fall short — the real solution is sustained, federal support: hunger does not fall on state or party lines.

READ THE FULL MISSISSIPPI TODAY ARTICLE HERE

Ms. Magazine: Capitol Day

In Mississippi, Parents and Community Groups Are Feeding the Kids the State Left Behind.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

“For the past two summers, our organization has stepped in with our own summer cash program to fill the gap. We provided direct cash assistance to families, trusting them to make the best choices for their children.

The results speak for themselves: More than 85 percent of families reported no barriers to accessing enough food, and nearly as many said they were able to buy more protein, fresh fruit and vegetables than ever before.

We’ve shown that this model works. All it would take for Mississippi to extend that success statewide is a governor’s yes, a simple decision to opt into a federal program that would cost the state next to nothing in administrative funds. Yet again this year, Gov. Reeves declined, insisting that summer feeding sites and existing benefits are enough. Families have told us, loud and clear, that they are not.” – Sarah Stripp

WATCH OUR FULL CAPITOL DAY VIDEO HERE ⬇️

Forbes: Rethinking Wealth & Inclusion In Financial Planning

How Empathy and Innovation Can Close the Retirement Gap, Breaking Barriers to Retirement Security for Every American

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

When it comes to building wealth and security in America, too many families — especially those living paycheck to paycheck — are left out of the conversation. For low-income households, retirement planning often feels like a distant luxury, and the pathways to financial empowerment can seem inaccessible. In this candid Forbes Q&A, I speak to Thasunda Brown Duckett, President and CEO of TIAA and one of just two Black women to helm a Fortune 500 company currently, to discuss the systemic barriers that keep millions from building a secure future and to share actionable strategies for closing the retirement gap. Our conversation offers insights and practical advice for individuals, organizations, and policymakers committed to making retirement security a reality for all Americans.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM