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Program: California Department of Social Services - SUN Bucks (Summer EBT)

Agency: California Department of Social Services


Resource Number: 89179536
Alternate name: Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)

 Description

SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT (S-EBT), is a food assistance program in California designed to help families buy groceries for their school-aged children during the summer months when school meals are not available. It provides $120 per eligible child ($40 per month for June, July, and August) on a debit-like EBT card, which can be used at grocery stores, farmers' markets, and authorized online retailers.

Cards are issued in two stages: automatically enrolled children receive them from June to July (alphabetically by last name), and newly eligible children receive them starting in August.




Program Phones:
877-328-9677
SUN Bucks Helpline

Website: www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks

Location information
Sites offering this program
+ SUN Bucks/Summer EBT ->
SUN Bucks/Summer EBT  
Location: No physical address.
Program Hours:
SUN Bucks Helpline (Automated Support): Seven days a week, 24-hours;
Live Agents: Monday through Friday, 6 am - 8 pm
Description: Not applicable.
Bus Service: Not applicable.
Disabilities Access: Not applicable.
Mailing Address: No mailing address.
Service Area:

Program Delivery
Eligibility: - Are ages 6–18 and receive CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (with household income at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level).
- Children ages 0-22 years who attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program (SBP) are also eligible for SUN Bucks if they are certified to meet the income eligibility guidelines. To certify that your child is eligible, you must submit a Universal Benefits Application or School Meal Application to your child's school. You should apply if any of the following criteria apply to your family:
a.Your child gets meals through California's Universal Meals Program (UMP). In California, the UMP provides school meals at no cost to all school-age children, regardless of household income. Even if your child gets a free school meal, it does not guarantee that they will qualify for SUN Bucks benefits.
b.Children who get Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) or participate in the Adoption Assistance Program, but do not participate in CalFresh or CalWORKs.

Participating in SUN Bucks does not affect a family’s immigration status.
Languages: Spanish, English
Application Process: Most eligible children get SUN Bucks automatically. Other families must apply for SUN Bucks benefits at their child's school. The deadline to apply for 2026 SUN Bucks is August 31, 2026.
Payment methods:
Program Fees: No fee.
Documents Required: No documents required.
Service Area:
Defined coverage area:
CA -Statewide


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