SUN Bucks

Also known as Summer EBT, this federal program provides eligible families with $120 for groceries over the summer months when school is not in session.

What are SUN Bucks?

Summer EBT, known as SUN Bucks in Washington, is a new federal program to support families who lose access to free school meals over the summer months. Families will receive $120 in food benefits for each eligible child. Similar to SNAP (Basic Food), SUN Bucks can be used to purchase food at retail locations like grocery stores, farmers markets, and corner stores. The SUN Bucks program works in tandem with the Free Summer Meals program to support families when school meals are unavailable.

Well over half a million children in Washington state received SUN Bucks benefits in summer 2024.

Who is Eligible?

SUN Bucks are available to school-aged children in Washington state each summer. Eligibility is determined by household income. There are multiple ways that families can have their income verified for SUN Bucks eligibility. Expand the options below to learn more.

  • Children between the ages of 8 and 18, who participate in one or more of the following programs, are automatically eligible and will receive SUN Bucks:

    - SNAP (Basic Food)

    - TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

    - FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations)

    - Medicaid (Apple Health)

    - Head Start

    - Students with homeless, foster, migrant, or runaway status

  • Children of any age (including pre-K) who have applied and been approved for free and reduced price school meals are automatically eligible and will receive SUN Bucks benefits.

    For students at a school operating the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) where all students eat for free, families should complete their school district’s Family Income Survey. If the family meets the income requirements for Free and Reduced Price meals, they will receive SUN Bucks benefits.

    You can find each school district’s Free and Reduced Price Meals application and/or Family Income Survey here.

  • For children who are not captured by the above eligibility methods, a statewide SUN Bucks application will be available. Families who apply and meet the income requirements for free and reduced price meals will be eligible for SUN Bucks.

    The application is available online here, but is now closed for the 2024 summer.

SUN Bucks Screening

Eligibility for SUN Bucks is confusing! Families can use the screening tool below to learn whether their child is eligible for benefits. Please share this tool with the families you serve.

Applications for SUN Bucks 2024 are now closed, but it’s never too soon to start preparing for summer 2025! Encourage families to complete an application for free school meals or a family income survey at their child’s school, which will automatically enroll them for SUN Bucks in summer 2025 if eligible.

SUN Bucks Benefits

Once a child is verified as eligible for SUN Bucks, their family will receive one EBT card per child via mail. Each card will be loaded with $120 and can be used to purchase groceries at any retailer that accepts SNAP (Basic Food).

SUN Bucks benefits expire 4 months after the date of issuance. Once families receive their benefit, they have 122 days to spend down the funds before they will be invalid. Therefore, families should prioritize spending SUN Bucks before other funds like SNAP/EBT.

Spread the word!

Make sure that families in your community are informed about SUN Bucks.

Preliminary outreach materials are available now! More materials will be available in early summer, so check back regularly for additional resources.

Printed and physical outreach materials are available. Request physical materials here.

SUN Bucks Text Updates

By signing up for SUN Bucks texts, families will receive specific information on their child’s eligibility, updates on their household’s benefits, and support resources when questions arise.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • All children who are enrolled in a school that operates the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) are eligible for SUN Bucks, regardless of their age. This includes students of high school grade or under, including pre-school age children, as well as students participating in a program for those with mental and physical disabilities.

    Children who do not attend a NSLP/SBP school must be between the ages of 8 and 18 to be eligible for SUN Bucks. This includes children who 'age in' or 'age out' during the year. For the 2024 SUN Bucks season, for example, eligible children just had to be between the ages of 8 and 18 at some point between July 1, 2023 through August 31st, 2024.

  • Children who are enrolled in a qualifying public assistance program (e.g. SNAP, TANF) do not need to meet any additional income requirements.

    Similarly, children who are certified to receive free and reduced price school meals do not need to meet any additional income requirements.

    For all other children, the income threshold for SUN Bucks is 185% of the Federal Poverty Line.

  • The SUN Bucks application closed on August 31st. The application for summer 2025 will open next spring or early summer.

  • The SUN Bucks application will not ask for any documentation or verification of eligibility. It will include a self-attestation statement and must be signed by an adult member of the household.

  • Eligibility is determined on a per child basis. Each child needs to meet the eligibility requirements individually in order to receive SUN Bucks.

  • In Washington, SUN Bucks is administered by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

  • Families will receive an approval letter in the mail about 7-10 days before their SUN Bucks card arrives.

  • Yes! SUN Bucks can be used in conjunction with SNAP/EBT cards and each card qualifies for Fruit and Vegetable Incentives. This means if a family has both a SUN Bucks card and a SNAP/EBT card, they both receive additional benefits for fruits and vegetables. Visit the Department of Health’s Fruit and Vegetable Incentives Program page to learn more about how this program can help families afford more produce for their children and to find nearby participating retailers or farmers markets.

  • Families should keep the cards, as they may be refilled and used again next year. Stay tuned for updates on this topic.

Have questions? Call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 (TTY: 1-800-833-6348) between 8am and 5pm, Monday-Friday.

Last updated: October 29, 2024