California Launches SUN Bucks for Summer 2026 to Help Fight Childhood Food Insecurity

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom May 21 announced that funding will be available for eligible families with school-aged children to prevent childhood hunger while children are on summer break. The California Department of Social Services or CDSS has begun mailing electronic benefits transfer or EBT cards with SUN Bucks food benefits, providing families $40 per month for food in June, July, and August ($120 total) per eligible child when children have limited access to school meals. 

“Since the launch of the program in 2024, more than $877 million in food purchases have been made by families and caregivers across the state using SUN Bucks food benefits,” CDSS Director Jennifer Troia said. “We are happy to see this program continue into its third year of providing essential meals to children during the summer months.”

In 2025, more than 3.3 million SUN Bucks cards were activated. For 2026, more than 3.5 million eligible children in California will be automatically enrolled in the program. For automatically enrolled children, cards will begin arriving in late May. Eligible children who are not automatically enrolled will need to apply through their school to get benefits.  

How SUN Bucks works

Most children are automatically enrolled if they qualify for free or reduced-price school meals or receive CalFresh, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids or CalWORKs, and/or Medi-Cal (certified at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level). Children can also be automatically enrolled if their school identifies them as being in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or part of a migrant family.

Families of children who are not automatically enrolled may apply by submitting a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application to their child’s school by August 31, 2026, to receive SUN Bucks benefits for summer 2026.

Per federal rules, funds must be used within 122 days from when they were added to the card. Any unused funds will expire after 122 days. Expired benefits cannot be replaced. Visit the CDSS SUN Bucks webpage for more information.

Participation in SUN Bucks will have no bearing on eligibility for CalFresh or any other public benefit program. Children who receive SUN Bucks may still participate in other summer meal options, such as SUN Meals.