California introduces new summer food aid program for kids statewide Wednesday

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Department of Education launched a new, federally-funded summer food program for students statewide called SUN Bucks on Wednesday.

The SUN Bucks program provides $120 in food benefits per child on a pre-loaded EBT card scheduled to arrive via mail beginning in June of this year through the fall.

According to the California Department of Education, most children who qualify for the summer food program are automatically enrolled and most families will not need to take action to receive benefits.

Children who already qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through a school meal application or an Alternative Income Form, or who get CalFresh, or CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal, are automatically enrolled detailed a press release about the new program.

The pre-loaded EBT cards can be used like CalFresh benefits to purchase groceries more information can be found here.

"I am very proud that California is among the first states in the nation to issue SUN Bucks benefits to our youth," explained California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. "As someone who depended on government assistance in order to combat childhood hunger, I know how critical it is to ensure that our children have access to food that supports their healthy growth and development. We know that the nutritional needs of our students do not take a break when school lets out."

The SUN Bucks program joins the existing Summer Meal Programs which the California Department of Education provides a mobile app and website for families to use to locate participating sites.

In 2022, California added sections to its Education Code which requires high-poverty schools to apply for federal assistance, becomming the first state in the nation to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program.

These state efforts match federal efforts through the Biden-Harris Administration National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.