3 Programs to Keep Kids Well-Fed All Summer

When school ends for the summer, so do the free breakfasts and lunches relied on by nearly 30 million U.S. children on an average day. For many families, school meals bridge the gap between food budgets and hungry bellies, making summer a season of struggle instead of fun and relaxation.

Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) calls this challenge the summer food gap. Fortunately, USDA’s SUN Programs give families new and convenient ways to get nutritious food for their kids when school’s out.

1. SUN Bucks: Receive $120 per eligible school-aged child to buy more of your family’s favorite foods, from fresh fruits and vegetables to pantry staples.
2. SUN Meals: Children 18 and under can enjoy free meals together at eligible sites.
3. SUN Meals To-Go: In some rural areas, SUN Meals can be picked up or delivered to your home.

SUN Bucks: New Grocery Benefit

SUN Bucks, also known as summer EBT, is a new grocery benefit available across most of the U.S. Families with eligible school-aged children can get $120 per child to buy groceries during the summer, making it possible to stock their pantries with nutritious food.

Families can use it along with benefits like SNAP to help children reach their full potential! Many families will get SUN Bucks automatically if they are getting other benefits, but some families may need to apply for the program.

Not every U.S. tribe, state, or territory is participating in SUN Bucks. That’s why PHA helped create this website, where families can take a quick, private survey to see if they’re eligible and get help signing up for the benefit.

Find out which U.S. tribes, states, and territories are participating in SUN Bucks, and get the full enrollment details:

Check out the FAQs for more details.

PHA has teamed up with Amazon Access to provide a benefit to help families make the most of their summer EBT benefits.

Amazon Access is a centralized hub with programs, discounts, and features that make shopping easier and more affordable, like payment with SNAP EBT, Access Discounts, and Prime Access - Amazon’s discounted Prime membership program for qualifying government assistance recipients. This summer, customers can shop and save with EBT – when they spend $50 they will save $15 on SNAP-eligible grocery purchases on Amazon.com, plus free delivery. The spend $50, save $15 promotion ends September 30, 2024, or while supplies last. Terms and conditions apply.

Please share these Amazon Access materials to help the communities you serve stretch their budgets and EBT benefits this summer.

SUN Meals & SUN Meals To-Go: Free Meals and Snacks for Kids

SUN Meals provides no-cost summer meals and snacks at community locations like schools and parks, where fun activities and good food keep kids fed and engaged.

Families can enjoy SUN Meals even if they don’t live in an area participating in the SUN Bucks program. In fact, SUN meals are available to all kids and teens aged 18 and younger — no need to apply or enroll!

In rural communities where SUN Meals aren’t available or accessible, families may be able to pick up no-cost summer meals through SUN Meals To-Go — or even get them delivered!

Check the USDA Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder to find locations near you.

Good Food for Every Kid — All Summer

Filling the summer food gap with nutritious food means every family can thrive through the summer season instead of struggling to survive it.

And as a new program, it’s especially important that we spread the word about SUN Bucks, or summer EBT, so that families don’t miss out on benefits that can stretch their food budgets this summer and in the summers to come.

Because no kid should spend the summer months hungry.