SUN Bucks program returns to provide summer food support for Washington children

Published 1:30 am Sunday, June 7, 2026

Submitted by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

This summer, as many as 577,000 Washington children will receive SUN Bucks — funds to help buy food when school is not in session — through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program. The SUN Bucks benefits, a one-time payment of $120 per eligible child, will be deposited onto new SUN Bucks cards starting early June. In December 2022, the federal government authorized a permanent, nationwide Summer EBT program to support children’s access to food during the summer months. The Department of Social and Health Services received federal approval to implement SUN Bucks for summer 2026 and is partnering with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to distribute these benefits starting the first week of June.

“Washington state has continued to expand access to nutritious meals for our young people,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal. “Combined with our summer meal programs, SUN Bucks helps ensure students continue to access food during the summer months when they are not in school. We appreciate our partnership with DSHS in administering this program in support of our students and families.”

“The costs of groceries and everyday living in Washington state remain high, especially as we head into the summer months when families have fewer resources readily available to them,” said DSHS Secretary Angela Ramirez. “Food is foundational to everyone’s well-being, and we are pleased to partner with OSPI to ensure as much support as possible for children and families.”

Some children will get SUN Bucks automatically, and others must apply. Students can automatically qualify if they either:

• Are age 8-18 and are a member of a household that receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

• Attend a school that offers the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program and is directly certified for free or reduced-price school meals or meets income requirements reported through a Child Nutrition and Eligibility and Education Benefit Application.

Parents and guardians of students who do not qualify automatically can apply by submitting a SUN Bucks application. To qualify for SUN Bucks by application, students must both:

• Be enrolled at a school that participates in the NSLP or SBP.

• Live in a household that meets NSLP Income Eligibility Guidelines to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

The SUN Bucks application is online in English and Spanish, with paper applications available in several other languages. Applications are accepted throughout the year, but to be eligible for summer 2026 SUN Bucks benefits, applications must be received by Sept. 4.

In addition to SUN Bucks benefits, other summer meal programs, including SUN Meals and SUN Meals to Go, provide children in lower-income areas with free, nutritious meals during the summer. To find a Summer Meals site, families can call 866-3-HUNGRY (866-348-6479) or text “Food” to 304-304. For Spanish, families can call 877-8-HAMBRE (877-842-6273) or text “Comida” to 304-304.

Families who need to apply or who have other questions about SUN Bucks benefits can call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 (TTY: 800-833-6348) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays). Families can opt in for text messaging alerts about their child’s SUN Bucks status at textsunbucks.dshs.wa.gov.