A seventh grader carries her plate which consists of three bean chili, rice, mandarins and cherry tomatoes and baked chips during her lunch break at a local public school, Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Families who qualify for free/reduced lunch may also be eligible for extra help to feed their children over summer break.
The United States Department of Agriculture has made additional electronic benefits transfer, or EBT, available to families across the country starting this summer. Indiana is one of the states that have applied to be able to provide these extra benefits to state residents under the program dubbed Indiana SUN Bucks.
SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer. Benefits are only provided for the summer months. This is separate from the SNAP EBT program, according to the USDA.
Similar to normal EBT, Summer EBT benefits come in the form of pre-loaded cards that families can use to purchase groceries. Families will receive $40 per eligible child, per month, the agency says.
These benefits work together with other available nutrition assistance programs, such as summer meal sites, SNAP, and WIC, to help ensure kids have consistent access to critical nutrition when school is out, according to the USDA.
Who is eligible?
Children who went to school in Indiana this year are eligible for SUN Bucks. However, children who just moved to Indiana will have to check with their previous state of residence to see if they are eligible for the benefits from that state for this summer.
Children are automatically eligible if they:
Attended a school operating the National School Lunch Program, or NSLP, and were approved for free or reduced benefits during the 2023-2024 school year;
Attended a school implementing the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP, and were notified of Direct Certification status during the 2023-2024 school year; or
Attended a school that was not operating the National School Lunch Program (neither non-CEP or CEP) but are receiving SNAP, TANF, or certain levels of Medicaid benefits, or are in the foster system.
Children might be eligible if they:
Attended a CEP school but was not notified of Direct Certification status during the 2023-2024 school year; or
Attended an NSLP school but was not approved for free or reduced benefits during the 2023-2024 school year.
How can eligible households apply?
Submit an online application at indianasunbucks.com/welcome. Applications are due by May 1.
Applicants must:
Create an account using their email address;
Enter parent/guardian contact information;
Provide student information for all students applying for benefits;
Report income information for anyone in the household (related or not);
Ensure all household members have been reported;
Submit one application for all children living in the same household.
