Here Come the SUN Bucks

From the Sanford School Department

A federal program called SUN Bucks (Summer EBT for Children) will again help families purchase groceries when school is out for the summer. Eligible families can receive $120 in food benefits per qualifying student.

The child nutrition program aims to address child food insecurity by providing funds that families can use to buy groceries during summer months when students don’t have access to free or reduced-price school meals.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Family Independence (OFI) is implementing the program. Many families will automatically qualify based on their participation in programs like SNAP, TANF, MaineCare, or free/reduced school meals, while others may need to apply.

Eligibility

• Children must meet USDA criteria set during the prior school year.
• Students aged 6-16 automatically qualify if their household receives SNAP, FDPIR, TANF, MaineCare at 185% FPL, or if the child is identified as homeless, migrant, or in foster care.
• Children approved for free or reduced-price school meals also automatically qualify.
• Students in Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2 schools who aren’t already enrolled in qualifying programs but meet free/reduced meal requirements will need to apply.

Benefit Details

• Each eligible student will receive a one-time $120 payment for summer 2025.
• Benefits will be loaded onto existing SNAP/P-EBT cards, if available.
• Students who previously received P-EBT or SUN Bucks will have benefits loaded onto their previously-issued card.
• For first-time recipients, a new Pine Tree Card will be issued.
• Lost cards can be replaced by calling 800-477-7428.

Distribution Timeline

• Automatically enrolled families will receive notification letters in late spring.
• Benefits will begin distribution in June.
• Families who apply later will receive benefits at the end of the month in which their application is approved.

When to Apply

Families should wait until mid-June before considering a manual application. If you haven’t received an automatic enrollment notification by then, you should apply if:

• Your child attends a school offering the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program, AND
• Your household meets requirements for free or reduced-price school meals

Applications will be available on the OFI website for families who believe they qualify but did not receive automatic enrollment notification.

For the latest information and updates, families can visit www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi or call 1-855-797-4357.

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