Pandemic EBT (P-EBT)
P-EBT is a federal food program that gives eligible families with young and/or school-aged children food benefits to replace meals lost at childcare or school because of the pandemic. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in partnership with the California Department of Education (CDE), received approval to operate the program in response to COVID-19 related school and childcare closures.
Each eligible child received their own reloadable card. Families with multiple eligible children received multiple cards. The cards may not have arrived at the same time.
Because the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended on May 11, 2023, the P-EBT program had to end. P-EBT 4.0 was the last round of P-EBT and authorized food benefits for the 2022-2023 school year, August 2022 through May 11, 2023. All P-EBT 4.0 cards have been issued.
For information about P-EBT eligibility, card mailings, and benefit amounts, go to the P-EBT website at https://ca.p-ebt.org/.
Great News! Although the P-EBT program has ended, a new permanent Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT) is planned to start in summer 2024 for school aged-children.
SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT (S-EBT)
SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT (S-EBT), is a new program to help families buy food for their school-aged children during the summer. Families will get $120 for each eligible child to buy groceries during the summer. Families must use SUN Bucks within 122 days of funds being loaded to their card. Children who get SUN Bucks can still participate in other summer meal programs. SUN Bucks will not affect immigration status.
Children will automatically get SUN Bucks if:
- They are age 6 - 18 years and get CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal; OR
- They are age 0 - 22 years, attending schools that are part of National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Programs, AND are approved for free or reduced price meals. Check with your child's school to make sure your free or reduced-price meal application or Alternative Income Form is on file.
Children who are attending Head Start, experiencing homelessness, living in foster care or part of a migrant family are also automatically eligible.
Eligible families will get SUN Bucks on an S-EBT card mailed to their home. You do not need to fill out an application. You will get one new SUN Bucks card for each eligible child. You can use SUN Bucks just like a debit card to buy food like fruits, vegetables, meat, whole grains, and dairy at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other places that accept CalFresh EBT benefits.
More information on SUN Bucks can be found on the following websites: https://cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks and https://www.fns.usda.gov/sebt
Note: SUN Bucks are not issued by the County. The County cannot expedite the process for SUN Bucks.