Thirty-five states plan to launch a program called SUN Bucks this summer. SUN Bucks will provide eligible families with an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card each summer with $120 per child to help buy groceries. Many families that rely on school meal programs struggle to feed their children when school is out during summer. Families who are already enrolled in SNAP or a free school lunch program will be automatically signed up. Others can apply if they meet income eligibility requirements.

The Summer EBT program was developed to help provide children with access to nutritious meals during the summer months when school-provided meals are not an option. It is like the discontinued Pandemic EBT program.

Many families who qualify for this program will be automatically enrolled and do not need to apply. This includes families whose children are already enrolled in free school lunch programs, are on Medicaid, or are enrolled in SNAP benefits. Eligibility requirements are based on yearly income, and families with children who qualify for the program and are not already on these other programs can apply to enroll. An online application is expected to be available July 1^st. For more information, visit the USDA SUN Bucks website.

Thirty-five states have accepted this federal aid, with those that have not citing reasons such as understaffed administration for rolling out the program. This is the first year of the program, and states who have opted out this year will have the opportunity to opt-in in future years.

The $120 in summer funds per child is about $40 per month per child for the summer. Families will have until the end of the summer to use these benefits, which expire at the end of each summer, or 122 days after they are issued. More information on when Sun Bucks start in each state can be found here.

Neighborhood summer food programs are also available in some areas, find a location near you at USDA SUN Meals program website.

This is the first year of the Summer EBT Program, and we are still learning if more states will adapt this program.

For families with eligible children not automatically enrolled, we are still waiting on a finalized online application expected to be available July 1st.