SUN BUCKS California

Updated 9/1/24

 
SunBucks eligibility for qualification for the 2024 season has ended on August 31, 2024.
 
If your child recently qualified for SUNBucks and already received your card, you have 122 days from the date it was issued to use your benefits!
  • Benefits will expire after the 122 day time period.

If your child recently became eligible before August 31, 2024 for SUNBucks and you have not received your card, call the SUNBucks Helpline at (877) 328-9677.

SUNBucks is a permanent program that will be available next year!
 
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SUNBucks
Families will get $120 for each eligible child to buy groceries during the summer! Also known as Summer EBT (S-EBT), is a new program to help families buy food for their school-aged children during the summer period, which is June 1st through August 31st. 

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.

Will my child get SUN Bucks?

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, 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.  
  • They are living in foster care.
  • They are experiencing homelessness
  • They are part of a migrant family.
  • They attend a Head Start. 

How do I get SUN Bucks?

  • If your child qualifies based on household size and income for free or reduced-price school meals, or gets CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal by March 31, 2024, they will automatically be enrolled in SUN Bucks. You don't need to do anything to sign up. You will get your SUN Bucks on an EBT card in the mail during the months of June through September 2024.
  • If your child did not qualify before March 31, 2024, or for families with children ages 0-22 who qualify for free or reduced-price meals and who do NOT get CalFresh, Medi-Cal or CALWORKs benefits can apply by completing a school meal application or Alternative Income Form before August 31, 2024.
    • Families will receive their SUN Bucks in the mail during August 1, 2024, September 1, 2024, or October 15, 2024, for children determined newly eligible during the Summer period ending August 31, 2024.

How will my child get SUN Bucks?

  • 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. 

When will I get my SUN Bucks?

  • Most families will begin receiving their 2024 SUN Bucks card in mid-June through August. Due to the large volume of automatically eligible children (nearly 5 million), issuance will occur in two stages:
              Stage 1: Automatically enrolled kids will begin receiving their cards mid-June and continuing through August. Cards will be mailed in alphabetical order by the child’s last name (A-Z). 
          • A-D: Mid-June
          • E-L: July 
          • M-Z: August
              Stage 2: Kids will get their cards in Stage 2 if they were: (1) not automatically enrolled in Stage 1, and (2) determined eligible after the start of Stage 1. This includes kids who were determined eligible based on:
        • Alternative Income Forms,
        • School meal applications, or 
        • Getting CalWORKs, CalFresh, or Medi-Cal

    If you have not received your card yet, call the SUN Bucks helpline at (877) 328-9677. SUN Bucks cards will look like the CalFresh Golden State Advantage EBT cards with printed wording of "SUN Bucks" across the top.

    What can I buy with SUN Bucks?

    • 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. 

    Will the SUN Bucks program be available after summer 2024?

    • Yes! SUN Bucks is a permanent food assistance program that will be available every summer from June-August, beginning summer 2024. Each summer, CDSS will provide information on how to get your SUN Bucks.
    What if I'm supposed to get a SUN BUCKS card without applying, but had a recent change in address?
    • If you have not received a SUN Bucks card by the end of August 2024 AND you currently get CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, they probably do not have your most recent address, or your school records may be outdated. It is recommended that you update your address with your benefits provider online at BenefitsCal.com, or call or visit your local social services department.

      If you qualify for free or reduced-price meals, change your address at your child's school of attendance. Not sure? Check with your child's school.

    What should I do if I only received a card for one of my children?

    • Make sure you fill out a school meal application or an Alternative Income Form, or apply for CalFresh, CalWORKs, and/or Medi-Cal before August 31, 2024.
    • Additionally, make sure that your correct address is on file. You can update your address at your child's school, through BenefitsCal (if receiving CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or CalWORKs), or through the SUN Bucks helpline at (877) 328-9677.

    If no address is provided, SUN Bucks cards will either be mailed to:

    • County Offices
    • Your child's School
    • Your child's School District

    Will the SUN Bucks card reload?

    No, the card will be a one-time lump sum payment of $120.


    For more information and Frequently Asked Questions, visit https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks/faq
    Para información en español, ingrese AQUÍ.
     
     
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