Each eligible child will receive a one-time SUN Bucks benefit of $120 for the summer. The SUN Bucks benefit can vary year to year. The benefit is issued as a single payment, not monthly. The amount is the same for all eligible children, no matter when eligibility is determined.  

SUN Bucks is an income-based food assistance program. Eligibility is based on household income and can also be determined based on participation in certain programs. The program follows the same eligibility criteria for previous years.  

Many North Carolina children who qualify for SUN Bucks are automatically enrolled and do not need to apply. Visit the interactive eligibility quiz to see if your child automatically qualifies.

You may also review the eligibility information below to see if your child qualifies.

Automatic Eligibility (No Application Needed)

Children enrolled in a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) school during the current school year may automatically qualify for SUN Bucks if they meet one of the conditions listed below.  

Your child is automatically eligible if:

• Your child completed a SUN Bucks application during the prior summer period between July 1st – August 31st, was approved, and is enrolled again in an NSLP or CEP school for the current school year (No new application is required).
• Your child was approved to receive Free or Reduced-Price meals through their school.  
• Important: This does not apply to students attending schools where all students receive free meals (Community Eligibility Provision/CEP schools). 
  However, children attending CEP schools may still qualify automatically if they participate in one of the programs listed below, regardless of age.

OR another way…

Automatically Eligible if:  

Your child is between the ages 7–16 during the school year and the following summer period, they are automatically eligible and do not need to apply IF they participate in at least one of the following programs:

• Food and Nutrition Services (FNS / food stamps)
• Work First (cash assistance)
• Medicaid and household income is below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.  
• Cherokee Tribal Food Distribution Program (CTFDP)
• Foster Care
• McKinney-Vento Program (experiencing homelessness or runaway)

Who Can Apply

Households may apply for SUN Bucks if their children attend a school that participates in:

• The National School Lunch Program (NSLP), or
• The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)

Families should first confirm their child’s school participates in the program.

• Use the SUN Bucks School Search Tool to see if your child’s school is part of NSLP or CEP. School participation may affect eligibility.
• SUN Bucks is an income-based program. Household income cannot exceed the threshold for the program.  

Families can also check eligibility in several ways:

• Use the interactive eligibility quiz to see if your child may qualify
• Email dcfw.sunbucks@dhhs.nc.gov for assistance
• Call the SUN Bucks Customer Service Center at 1-866-719-0141
  • Select your language, and press Option 2 

 Yes, benefits do expire. SUN Bucks benefits will expire 122 days after they have been issued and made available on a household's SUN Bucks card, no matter when the card is activated. Households can check the “available” date in their ebtEDGE account. For more instructions on how to use ebtEDGE, go to “How Do I Use ebtEDGE (card holder portal) for my ebtEDGE account?”

You will be notified by email or text approximately 30-days before your benefits expiration date. Any unspent SUN Bucks benefits will expire after these 30 days and can no longer be used.

No, SUN Bucks does not take the place of other food benefits. It’s extra help on top of any other benefits you or your children might be receiving. You can visit the “Other Food Resources” section of the FAQs to learn about additional food programs that may be available to you.  

In addition to receiving SUN Bucks, families also are encouraged to have children, ages 18 and younger, participate in other federal Summer Nutrition Programs available at no cost to them. Through SUN Meals, kids and teens can enjoy meals and snacks while taking part in fun, fitness, and educational activities during the summer at schools, parks, and other local sites. In rural areas where it may be harder to access and participate in SUN Meals, SUN Meals To-Go may be available for pick up or delivery. Families can find more information at SummerMeals4NCKids.org.  

While some families will need to apply for the SUN Bucks program, many students will be automatically approved for it. To check if your child or children would be automatically enrolled or if they need to apply, take the interactive eligibility quiz by visiting North Carolina Summer EBT info. You can also go to “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?”

SUN Bucks is an income-based food assistance program. Check if your household is income eligible.

To check if your child is eligible for SUN Bucks benefits, you can take the interactive eligibility quiz by visiting North Carolina Summer EBT info.

If your child is enrolled in a NSLP school (check your school here) for the 2024-2025 school year and meets one of the scenarios below, they are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks and do not need to submit an application:  

• Child completed a SUN Bucks application between July 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025, and was approved. You do not need to complete another application for summer 2026, so long as the child is still enrolled in a NSLP/CEP participating school.
• Your child gets Free or Reduced-Price meals through the child’s school.
  • Important: This does not apply for children in schools where all students get free meals (CEP schools), however, they could be automatically eligible if they participate in any of the programs listed in the section below (any age).

OR

If your child’s date of birth is between July 2, 2008 to August 31, 2019, and they participate in at least one of the programs below, they do not need to submit an application as they are automatically eligible to receive SUN Bucks:

• Food and Nutrition Services (FNS, food stamps), or
• Work First (cash assistance), or  
• Medicaid and has a household income of less than 185% of the federal poverty level, or
• Cherokee Tribal Food Distribution Program (CTFDP), or
• Child is in Foster Care, or
• Child is enrolled in the McKinney-Vento program (experiencing homelessness or runaway)

To check if your child(ren) automatically qualify or if they should apply, take the interactive eligibility quiz by visiting North Carolina Summer EBT info.

Students who are members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) are eligible if they are “school-aged” (ages 7 – 16) and participating in the Cherokee Tribal Foods Distribution Program (CTFDP) during the school year.

If you are a member of EBCI and are wondering about your child’s eligibility through CTFDP or need to change your contact information/update your address, please contact your caseworker or the EBCI WIC office by March 31, 2025. After this date, please contact the North Carolina EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141, select your language, and SELECT OPTION 2 to speak with a SUN Bucks representative to update your address. 

A child is considered migrant if they have moved to join guardians to seek temporary agricultural or fishing employment due to economic necessity. If this scenario applies to your child, they may be eligible for SUN Bucks if they meet the requirements. See “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?” for more information.

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federal program that operates in most public schools, some charter schools, and a few private nonprofit schools. As part of this program, children who are part of households who meet income criteria are eligible for Free or Reduced Price (FRP) at school. Since 2023, NC students who qualify for reduced-price school meals also receive them at no cost thanks to state funding. Contact your child’s school for more information and to apply.

Some NSLP schools are called Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. These are schools that provide meals to all students at no cost without needing to submit a Free or Reduced-price school meal application. Some schools use different programs to provide students with meals at no cost. These programs are not the same as the NSLP or CEP meal programs.

Households can apply for SUN Bucks if their children attend an NSLP or CEP school. To check if your child’s school was an NSLP or CEP school for the most recent school year, visit the SUN Bucks School Search Tool.

Student eligibility is determined by household size and income. Households that meet the income guidelines laid out in this table are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. Students in households eligible for Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) or Work First (TANF) are automatically eligible for free meals. Contact your child's school for more information and to apply.

Eligibility will be decided for each child separately. All students who are eligible will get the same amount in a one-time lump sum payment of $120 per child for the summer, even if they become eligible later in the summer. For children who submit an application for SUN Bucks, North Carolina may reach out if additional information is needed to determine eligibility.

For more details about who is eligible,  visit “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?” or take the interactive eligibility quiz by visiting North Carolina Summer EBT info to see if your child would be automatically approved or would need to apply.

Below are other food benefit programs if you need help with food assistance now. Participation in these programs may also automatically qualify a student for SUN Bucks:

• Free or Reduced-Price school meals – provides eligible children and teenagers with breakfast, lunch, and snacks while they are at school at no cost. Since 2023, NC students who qualify for reduced-price school meals also receive them at no cost thanks to state funding. Contact your child’s school for more information and to apply.
• Food and Nutrition Services (FNS, food stamps) – these are food benefits that are issued to a debit card for families to purchase groceries. More information can be found at the FNS Homepage. Go to the NCDHHS website to apply online or find an FNS office closest to you by using our Local Department of Social Services finder.
• SUN Meals & SUN Meals To-Go – Families are encouraged to have their children, ages 18 and younger, participate in other federal Summer Nutrition Programs available at no cost to them. Through SUN Meals, kids and teens can eat meals and snacks and engage in fun, fitness and educational activities during the summer at schools, parks, and other neighborhood locations. In rural areas where it may be difficult to access and participate in SUN Meals, SUN Meals To-Go may be available for pick up or delivery. Families can find more information here.
• The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - Provides food assistance benefits, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to healthcare and social services for pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children under age 5.
• If you would like information on other options to get help with food, visit nc211 or dial 2-1-1 or 1-888-892-1162 to speak with an operator who can tell you about food assistance resources in your area.
• NCCare360: Statewide coordinated care network to connect individuals to local services and resources
• Food Access Maps: Emergency food assistance maps for NC
• Check out the informational flyer for NC Food and Nutrition Resource Programs
• Visit the North Carolina State Nutrition Action Coalition for more information on the various food assistance programs offered in North Carolina