West Chester, Pa (August 1, 2024)– Eligible families have just under one month left to apply for Sun Bucks, a new program that provides $120 for each child to purchase food for the summer months when school is not in session, state Senator Carolyn Comitta said.
Sun Bucks (also known as Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program or Summer EBT) is a federal program that provides the one-time, seasonal benefit to families with children who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year.
“Food insecurity is a year-round problem, and no child or family should go hungry at any time,” Comitta said. “I hope these funds will help families bridge the gap during the summer months and ensure that students and young people get the nutrition they need to continue to grow and thrive, so they can return to school healthy and ready to learn in the fall.”
An estimated 1.2 million children in Pennsylvania will qualify for this new program, which provides $40 per month per eligible child to cover the three summer months – June, July, and August – issued as a single $120 benefit.
“Summer is a time when many children do not have access to the free and reduced-price meals they get during the school year, and families might need a little extra help putting healthy meals on the table,” said Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “The new SUN Bucks program will provide eligible households with critical dollars to help bridge the gap during the summer to ensure that Pennsylvania children are fed and thriving while school is closed.”
Applications are open now through August 31 for the program, but most children who will receive SUN Bucks are automatically eligible and do not need to apply. An estimated 600,000 to 900,000 children will be automatically issued Summer-EBT benefits based on their eligibility for Free or Reduced-Priced meals under the National School Lunch Program.
Families can also use the SUN Bucks Eligibility Navigator to determine whether they need to apply or if they are automatically eligible.
For families that already have an EBT card, SUN Bucks benefits will be automatically added to this card, if possible, starting in mid-August. Those who do not have an EBT card will receive a Summer EBT card in the mail.
Because this is the first year of the program, benefits will be issued beginning in mid-August for Summer 2024 and all 2024 SUN Bucks benefits will be issued by the end of October.
There are several ways for a child to be automatically eligible for SUN Bucks without needing to apply, including:
- Qualifying for SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
- Qualifying for Medicaid with qualifying income for the National School Lunch or Breakfast Program (NSLP).
- Applying or receiving free or reduced-priced school meals.
Families whose children are not automatically eligible, including those who attend a school where all students receive free or reduced-price school meals under the Community Eligibility Provision but the family does not meet the automatic eligibility criteria will need to complete a paper SUN Bucks application.
If households are not automatically eligible and believe their child is eligible, a paper application is available to complete. Applications can be submitted by mail or through a local County Assistance Office.
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