SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT (S-EBT), is a new program that started in 2024 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.
Summer 2025 SUN Bucks Program
Children must be streamlined certified or determined income eligible through a School Meal Application or Universal Benefits Application to receive SUN Bucks.
Children will be streamlined certified to automatically get SUN Bucks if:
- They are age 6 - 18 years and get CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (certified at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL]); OR
- They are age 0 - 22 years, attending schools that are part of National School Lunch (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast Programs (SBP), AND are determined eligible for free or reduced price meals based on household income requirements through a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application.
Children who receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) or Adoption Assistance program may also receive Medi-Cal but may not be certified at or below 185% Federal Poverty Level. Receiving Medi-Cal does not mean children are eligible for SUN Bucks.
California operates the Universal Meals Program (UMP), which provides free meals to all students enrolled in NSLP/SBP-participating schools, regardless of income. Participation in UMP does not mean children are eligible for SUN Bucks.
Children who are not streamlined certified may need to submit a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application to the child's school to see if they qualify for SUN Bucks based on household size and income.
Check with your child's school to make sure your free or reduced-price meal application or Universal Benefits Application is on file.
Eligible families will get SUN Bucks on an S-EBT card mailed to their home. 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.
Watch videos released by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) about the SUN Bucks program: English Spanish
Visit CDSS' Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page to learn more about eligibility, when to expect cards to arrive and many other topics: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq
More information on SUN Bucks can also be found on the following websites: https://cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks and https://www.fns.usda.gov/sebt