SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT (S-EBT), is a new permanent Federal program that helps families by giving them money to buy groceries during the summer when children are not in school.

Starting in the summer of 2024, families that qualify for this program will get $120 for each child that's part of the program. This money will be on a card that works like a debit card (called an EBT card). You can use this card to buy healthy food at places like grocery stores, farmers markets, and some online retailers.

To get SUN Bucks, the child must meet certain eligibility criteria set by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). Many students will qualify automatically, while others can apply. For more information, check "Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?".

SUN Bucks will work hand-in-hand with other programs, such as summer meals for children (group meal service and meals to-go), Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), to help provide children with consistent access to nutrition critical to their development.

Information about the SUN Bucks program will be regularly shared on this webpage and the NCDHHS social media accounts. These accounts are on Facebook, Instagram, and X (previously Twitter) (@NCDHHS).

You can use the SUN Bucks card to buy food at places that take EBT, like most big grocery stores, some farmers markets, and some online retailers. But just like with Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) benefits, you can’t use SUN Bucks to buy food that's already hot or prepared.

Here are some things you can buy with a SUN Bucks card:

• Breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables
• Meat, fish, chicken and dairy products
• Bottled water and drinks without alcohol
• Seeds and plants that will make food

Some things you cannot buy with a SUN Bucks card:

• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
• Things that aren't food, like pet food, soap, household supplies, vitamins, and medicines
• Food that's already hot or prepared

The SUN Bucks benefit of $120 will be issued to each child that qualifies in one lump sum for the summer period. The benefit amount remains the same, regardless of when the child is determined eligible. Each eligible child will receive only one SUN Bucks benefit issuance.

Children with active FNS cases will see their SUN Bucks benefits loaded directly into their FNS account. All other students will be mailed a new SUN Bucks card that should arrive in the mail within 1-4 weeks after the issuance date. Most eligible students will have their benefits and cards by mid-July. 

SUN Bucks issuances will occur every two weeks from mid-June through the end of September as new children are determined eligible.  

It's a good idea to check how much money you have on your card before you go shopping. There are a few ways you can check your balance anytime, any day. Using your card number, you can:

1. Visit www.ebtEDGE.com. Click “Cardholder Portal” then log in or register. 
2. Download and use the ebtEDGE mobile app (can be downloaded on Google Play or Apple Store). 
3. Call 1-888-622-7328 and follow the prompts.

Visit “How do I check my Sun Bucks and/or FNS EBT card balance?” for more detailed instructions.

No, the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program was a program meant to help families during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has now ended.

SUN Bucks is a new program that helps families get nutritious foods by giving them money to buy groceries over the summer. Some students who were eligible for P-EBT will not be eligible for SUN Bucks.

Unlike P-EBT, 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 approved or if they need to apply, please refer to “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?”.

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 approved or if they need to apply, look at “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?”

Families who would need to apply for SUN Bucks will be invited to apply and will get an email or text to apply for SUN Bucks with instructions on how to find the application. The message will be sent to the contact information on file with your child's school.

Children who are NOT enrolled in schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) cannot apply for SUN Bucks. However, a student attending a non-NSLP school may still automatically receive SUN Bucks if they meet certain criteria, please refer to “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?”

Please use the SUN Bucks 2024 School Search Tool to check if your child’s school participates in the NSLP or is a CEP school. If your child’s school is not listed as NSLP or CEP, or is not listed at all, you do not meet the basic criteria that allows you to apply for SUN Bucks. 

Qualifying for SUN Bucks can be automatic or through application.

1. Many students will automatically be approved for SUN Bucks without families having to do anything.

A student will automatically be approved if they meet any of these criteria:

• They applied and were approved for free or reduced-price meals at school for the 2023-2024 school year,
• Their family receives assistance through Food and Nutrition Services (FNS, also known as food stamps),
• Their family is part of Work First (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which is a cash assistance program),
• The family participates in Medicaid and the household income is below 185% of the federal poverty level,
• Or, they're placed in foster care.

If your child's school doesn't have the NSLP or CEP program, they will only qualify for SUN Bucks if they are aged 7-16 at any time between July 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024 and meet any of the above criteria. No application needed.

If your child attends a NSLP school and receives free or reduced-price meals because they are runaway, experiencing homelessness or in a migrant situation, your child may also be found automatically eligible as long as the school is aware of the child’s circumstances.

2. Some students will need to apply for SUN Bucks.
If your child goes to a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school but doesn't fit into any of the categories above, you'll have to apply. You will have to provide information about your household's income. Families who would need to apply for SUN Bucks will be invited to apply and will get an email or text to apply for SUN Bucks with instructions on how to access the application. The message will be sent to the contact information on file with your child’s school. 

This is important: Children who are not enrolled in schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) do not meet the basic criteria that allows you to apply for SUN Bucks. However, a student attending a non-NSLP school may still receive SUN Bucks if they meet any of the criteria listed in the first part of this question. Most public schools have NSLP, and some charter and private nonprofit schools do too. Please use the SUN Bucks 2024 School Search Tool to check if your child’s school participates in the NSLP or is a CEP school, which is a type of NSLP. You can also ask your child's school if it's a NSLP or CEP school. Some schools post this information online as well. If your school is not listed as NSLP or CEP, or is not listed at all, you do not meet the basic criteria that allows you to apply. 

Students who attend virtual, homeschool, or hybrid schools may qualify for SUN Bucks if they meet any of the criteria listed in the first part of this question.

These requirements are based on rules from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Households with one or more children who are automatically eligible should receive an official Eligibility Notice via robocall, text, and/or email. To check if your child is automatically eligible, please see the SUN Bucks flyer (English, Spanish).

Yes, they might be eligible. Eligibility for students who are members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is based on the same criteria as other students. A student who is part of the EBCI will be eligible for SUN Bucks if:

• They attend a NSLP school and receive Free or Reduced-Price (FRP) meals (note: if your child's school is CEP, see information on CEP schools here), or
• They are between the ages of 7 - 16 at any time between July 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024 and participate in a qualifying program, such as the Cherokee Tribal Food Distribution Program (CTFDP/FDPIR). Other programs that may qualify a child in this age range are FNS (food stamps), Work First, foster care, and Medicaid (if paired with low household income).

Your benefits will be sent to the address associated with your CTFDP case.

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, and their school is aware of their circumstances. See “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?” or connect with your school’s Migrant Education Program (MEP) representative for more information.

Your household must make at or below the following amounts based on your household size. Please refer to Income Eligibility Guidelines for North Carolina (185% of the Federal Poverty Line) effective from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024: 

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a program started by the federal government that works in most public schools and some charter and private nonprofit schools. As part of this program, kids who meet certain criteria can get free meals or meals at a lower price through their school. Children in NSLP-participating schools who receive free or reduced-price meals will automatically receive SUN Bucks, unless their school is also CEP.

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). It lets schools and education groups in certain places give meals to all students at no cost. They can do this without having to collect forms from each family about their income.

If your child attends a CEP school, receiving free meals isn’t enough to automatically qualify them. They will need to participate in a qualifying program (see part 1 of “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?”). Children in CEP schools who aren’t automatically eligible will need to fill out an income-based application. 

To find out if your child’s school was part of the NSLP or CEP for the 2023 – 2024 school year, you can call the school. Some schools also put this information on their website.

Please remember: Some schools use different programs to give all students meals at no cost. These programs are not the same as the NSLP or CEP meal programs and have nothing to do with SUN Bucks.

Please use the SUN Bucks 2024 School Search Tool to check if your child’s school participates in the NSLP or is a CEP school. 

Students who attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school may be eligible for SUN Bucks! Important: Only some students are automatically eligible, while others will need to apply.

If a student attends a CEP school and participates in at least one of the programs below, they are automatically eligible and do not need to apply for SUN Bucks:

• Food and Nutrition Services (FNS, food stamps), or
• Work First (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), cash assistance), or
• Medicaid with household income below 185% of the federal poverty level, or
• Categorically eligible such as foster care, runaway, homeless, or migrant. Note: if your child is runaway, homeless, or migrant, their school must be aware of their situation to automatically qualify for SUN Bucks.

Please use the SUN Bucks 2024 School Search Tool to check if your child’s school participates in the NSLP or is a CEP school. 

Eligibility will be decided for each child separately. Each student who is eligible will get the same amount of $120 all at once for the summer, even if they become eligible later in the summer. Note, the $120 is a one-time payment for the summer period.

For more details about who is eligible,  visit “Does my child qualify for SUN Bucks?” 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:

• NC Summer Meals Programs - provide nutritious meals and enrichment at no-cost for kids and teens ages 18 years and younger. NCDPI works with public schools and community organizations to offer summer meals at schools, public housing centers, playgrounds, camps, and other locations. To find summer meals nearby: 

1. Text FOOD to 304-304 for information in English, or text COMIDA to 304-304 for information in Spanish. Provide your full address, zip code, or city to find the meal sites closest to you.
2. Call 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) (Spanish).
3. Use an interactive, online map. Visit www.summermeals4nckids.org and select “Find Meals,” then scroll down to find the link to the NC Site Finder Map and USDA Site Finder Map (Spanish).
4. Check your local school district’s website, social media, and other communications.
5. Visit https://go.ncdpi.gov/ncsummermeals to learn more!

• School Nutrition Programs – all K-12 students enrolled in North Carolina schools can participate in school meal programs. Families can apply to see if their children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Learn more about school meal programs HERE.
• 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. Click HERE to apply online or find a FNS office closest to you by using our Local Department of Social Services finder.

For additional resources:

• 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.
• Visit the Food Research & Action Center for more information on the various food assistance programs offered in North Carolina.

If you would like information on other options to get help with food, visit https://nc211.org 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.