The Summer Grocery benefit for kids is back in 2025. SUN Bucks or Summer EBT can pay $120 per eligible school-age child, and SNAP benefits can be combined, too. So, if your kids are at school, it is time to check whether you automatically qualify for this $120 payment or not. If you need to apply, it is essential that you do so before the deadline is over.
In case the Summer EBT is new for you and you have never heard of it, it gives you money to buy food in authorized stores. The only disadvantage is that it is only available in participating States. It is also possible to be receiving benefits like WIC, TANF or Medicaid. SUN Meals and SUN Meals To-Go are also a good way to get food for your kids in summer when schools are closed.
Which States participate in the SUN Bucks program?
Full list of States taking part in the 2025 SUN Bucks Program:
Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, North Carolina, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Vermont.
Apart from these States, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands also offer the possibility to receive Summer EBT payments worth $120.
Also, there are tribes within the State that are also participating in Oklahoma:
- Cherokee Nation
- Chickasaw Nation
- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- Muscogee Creek Nation
- Otoe-Missouria Tribe
Apart from these lists, there are also some States or U.S. territories that are planning to participate. For example, Virginia, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The rest of the States do not participate in the SUN Bucks program.
What can or can’t SUN Bucks buy?
Here is all you can buy using Summer EBT benefits:
- fruits
- vegetables
- meat, poultry, and fish
- dairy products
- breads
- cereals
- non-alcoholic drinks
- snack foods
You cannot use SUN Bucks to purchase:
- hot foods
- pet foods
- cleaning or household supplies
- personal hygiene items
- medicine
If you are still not sure whether your school-age child can collect SUN Bucks, here is more information about eligibility. Check that they are your household participates in benefits like TANF, SNAP, or FDPIR and your child is at school.
If you do not qualify this way, you may also qualify because your child goes to a school that offers the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program, and your income does not exceed the limit. Meeting the income requirements is essential to get free or reduced-price school meals.