The SUN Bucks program, or Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), is a highly important federal program that serves to combat child hunger in the summer months when school food programs are inaccessible. The permanent program gives eligible families $120 per child to spend on food over the summer as a lifeline nutritional assistance for millions of American children.
The program was designed through fervent analysis of multi-year demonstration programs which had proved tremendous success in diminishing child hunger. Studies discovered SUN Bucks reduced the percentage of children with very low food security by approximately one-third and assisted with healthier consumption made up of more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In the first year of the program, 2024, an estimated 21 million children reaped benefits, with $2.5 billion paid in grocery benefits in participating states.
Critical state deadlines to file for SUN Bucks benefits
The filing deadline for SUN Bucks benefits differs from state to state, and it is therefore critical that families know their own requirement. Most states have specific deadlines between August 15 and September 3, 2025.
Important state deadlines are:
- Delaware: August 31, 2025
- Washington D.C.: August 25, 2025
- Kansas: August 29, 2025
- California: September 1, 2025
- Massachusetts: Accepted until summer 2025
- Maine: August 15, 2025
- Pennsylvania: August 31, 2025
Notably, although summer application deadlines prevail in most states, late applications are generally carried forward to the following program year. That is, families that fall behind the existing deadline will not lose their chance but will simply have to wait until next summer’s cycle.
Eligibility requirements and automatic enrollment
The SUN Bucks initiative has automatic enrollment and application-based programs. The majority of qualified children are provided benefits automatically without an application, reducing the process for existing government assistance-eligible families considerably.
Automatic eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Children who receive SNAP (food stamp) benefits, TANF benefits, or FDPIR benefits
- Approved students to get free or reduced-price school lunch
- Children who receive qualifying Medicaid benefits (in about 39 states)
- Children in foster care, Head Start, homeless, or migrant families
For all others not automatically eligible, there is a determination of eligibility by income within the household. Families need to have incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty guideline. There have also been several changes made to SNAP benefits. For example, a four-person family needs to make $57,720 or less annually to qualify.
Massive impact on American families
The scale of the SUN Bucks program’s reach cannot be exaggerated. More than 4 million children in California alone will be receiving benefits automatically as of 2025. North Carolina sent $121 million to more than one million children with just one round of 2025 benefits. These figures only just begin to show the program’s unparalleled scale across the country’s diverse communities.
The program addresses an essential child nutrition need, as 1 in 6 children in states such as North Carolina live in homes with no regular source of food. When school meals are not available during summer months, millions of children are at higher risk for food insecurity. SUN Bucks bridges the nutritional need by granting families the purchasing power to stay well-fed throughout the year.
Benefit distribution and usage guidelines
Families are given their SUN Bucks benefits in different means of delivery based on their state and benefit status at the time. Benefits are usually loaded onto current SNAP EBT cards for families already receiving food benefits, or new Summer EBT cards issued to participating households.
The $120 child benefit is spendable at most grocery stores, farmers markets, and approved retailers that take EBT cards. Eligible food includes fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, cereals, and other allowable food items, with the same limits as normal SNAP benefits.
Most important timing factors:
- Benefits become void 122 days (about 4 months) from issue date
- Countdown is activated the day after benefits are loaded to cards
- Unused benefits can’t be passed on or remailed to next year
Missing deadlines for application for SUN Bucks has serious consequences for the participating families. Although the late application is generally reserved for use in the ensuing program year, it implies that families forgo the current summer’s benefit of $120 per child.
Read more: Florida SNAP Payment Schedule – What days are SNAP Payments deposited in July 2025?
