Frequently Asked Questions
What are SUN Bucks?
SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, is intended to help families in California buy food during the summer months when school is closed and works just like CalFresh. Children can get SUN Bucks if they qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application, or if they get CalFresh, CalWORKs, and/or Medi-Cal (certified at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level).
Who is eligible for SUN Bucks?
Most children are eligible for SUN Bucks if:
- They qualify based on household size and income for free or reduced-price school meals; or
- They get CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (certified at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level), including homeschooled children ages 6 – 18 years.
How do I get SUN Bucks?
If your child qualifies, based on household size and income, for free or reduced-price meals, or gets CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (certified at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level), they will automatically be enrolled in SUN Bucks. Children in Foster Care, experiencing homelessness, attending Head Start, and or considered a runaway are also categorically eligible and are automatically enrolled. You don't need to do anything to sign up. You will get your SUN Bucks on an EBT card in the mail.
Families with children ages 0-22 who qualify for free or reduced-price meals and do not get CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (certified at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level) can submit a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application at their school or school administrator’s office by September 1, 2025 to see if they qualify for SUN Bucks based on household size and income. Click here to visit the California Department of Education webpage for downloading the Universal Benefits Application.
When will I get my SUN Bucks Card?
Most families began receiving their 2024 SUN Bucks cards in mid-June. SUN Bucks cards will be mailed through the end of the year, so cards may come at different times for each of your children. Keep an eye out! Due to the large volume of automatically eligible children (nearly 5 million), issuances will occur in two stages:
- Stage 1: Automatically enrolled kids began receiving their cards mid-June and continuing through August. Cards will be mailed in alphabetical order by the child’s last name (A-Z).
Stage 1: Estimated Card Delivery by Month & Last Name for Automatically Enrolled Kids
| Month
|
Last Name Starting Letter
|
| Mid-June
|
A - D
|
| July
|
E - L
|
| August
|
M – Z
|
- Stage 2: Kids will get their cards in Stage 2 if they were: (1) not automatically enrolled in Stage 1, and (2) determined eligible after the start of Stage 1. This includes kids who were determined eligible based on:
- Alternative Income Forms,
- School meal applications, or
- Getting CalWORKs, CalFresh, or Medi-Cal (below 185% FPL)
Regardless of when the card is received, every SUN Bucks card will be loaded with the full $120 per child.
What if I have a concern with the decision made for my SUN Bucks benefits?
If you have a concern with a decision made for your SUN Bucks benefits, you can ask for a review through the SUN Bucks Helpline. To submit a benefit dispute, call the SUN Bucks Helpline at (877) 328-9677.
If I already got a SUN Bucks card in the mail, do I need to apply?
No. If you already got a SUN Bucks card in the mail, there is no need to apply. Follow the instructions that came with your SUN Bucks card and create a private personal identification number (PIN). Then your card will be ready to use.
How much in SUN Bucks benefits will I get?
The maximum SUN Bucks benefit is $40 per eligible child, per month, for each of the three months when schools are closed for the summer (June, July and August). For ease and convenience, you will get a one-time lump sum of $120 per eligible child.
What can I buy with SUN Bucks?
Your SUN Bucks can buy food at most grocery stores, farmer's markets, and online at places like Amazon and Walmart.
Use your SUN Bucks card like a debit card:
- Select "EBT"
- Swipe the SUN bucks card
- Enter your Personal Identification Number (PIN)
What if I receive multiple SUN Bucks cards for the same child?
Dual participation in SUN Bucks for the same summer operational period is not allowed. This means that children may not receive multiple or duplicate SUN Bucks benefits from the same State, nor from more than one State, in each summer. There are no circumstances whereby a family can use more than one SUN Bucks card for the same child.
If you believe your child may have received multiple or duplicate SUN Bucks cards, please call 1-877-328-9677 to report this error and destroy the multiple or duplicate SUN Bucks cards that you received. Families engaged in intentional dual participation may be subject to pay back SUN Bucks (7 CFR § 292.27).
How long do I have to spend my SUN Bucks?
You must use your SUN Bucks within 122 days of funds being loaded on the card. Any unused money on your card after 122 days will expire. Expired benefits cannot be replaced or put back on your card.
What should I do when I get my SUN Bucks card in the mail?
Follow the instructions that came with your SUN Bucks card and set up your PIN. Then your card can be used to buy food in most grocery stores and farmer's markets.
How do I change my PIN?
To change your PIN or learn how to protect your benefits, download the free ebtEDGE mobile app or visit www.ebt.ca.gov/cardholder/.
When is the deadline to submit a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application with my child's school?
If you do not get a SUN Bucks card in the mail, you must apply by completing a school meal application or Alternative Income Form and submitting it to your child's school by September 1, 2025 to get SUN Bucks benefits. If you did not get a SUN Bucks card in the mail and do not submit a school meal application or an Alternative Income Form with your school by September 1, 2025, you will not be able to get SUN Bucks benefits for the summer period.
What if I have not gotten SUN Bucks yet?
The deadline to apply for SUN Bucks for summer 2024 was August 31, 2024. CDSS is still mailing cards to eligible children. If you submitted a school meal application or an Alternative Income Form to your child’s school before August 31, 2024 and are eligible, you will get your SUN Bucks card in the mail. If your child’s school says that your child is eligible, but you do not get a SUN Bucks card by November 30, 2024, you may call the SUN Bucks Helpline at (877) 328-9677 to ask about the status of your card.
Important: Even though it is past August 31, you may still submit a school meal application or an Alternative Income Form to your child’s school for summer 2025. If your child’s school determines that your child is eligible based on an application that you submitted after August 31, you will get benefits in the summer of 2025.
Will the SUN Bucks program be available after summer 2024?
Yes. SUN Bucks is a permanent program and will be available starting summer 2024. Each summer, we will provide information on how to get your SUN Bucks.
What if I'm supposed to get a SUN Bucks card without applying, but had a recent change in address?
If you recently moved, update your address by contacting the SUN Bucks cardholder helpline at (877) 328-9677.
If I get SUN Bucks, will that make me a public charge?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) do NOT consider health, food, and housing services as part of the public charge determination. This means many government funded benefits and services are safe to use.
SUN Bucks is a food benefit like Pandemic EBT and CalFresh. Using these government funded benefits will NOT hurt your immigration status.
The public charge rule does NOT apply to every immigrant. Getting government funded benefits alone does NOT make you a public charge. Government funded benefits received by your children and family members do NOT make you a public charge. If you have questions about your immigration status and this food benefit, more information about public charge is available at www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/cdss-programs/refugees/public-charge.
What if I want to opt out of SUN Bucks?
If you do not want your child to receive SUN Bucks, you can opt out by calling the SUN Bucks Helpline at (877) 328-9677.
Where can I find a site that serves actual meals in the summer?
Check the Summer Meal Programs website for California
Where can I apply for other food programs?
You can apply for CalFresh at: BenefitsCal.com
Where can I apply for other public assistance benefits, like health coverage and cash aid for families?
Applications for public assistance programs are processed by your county social services agency. You can apply online at BenefitsCal.com. You may request a paper application from your local county social services agency by phone or in person. You can locate the address and telephone number here.
Date updated: April 1, 2025