School is out and summer meals are in! SUN Bucks (formerly called Summer EBT) is back in Virginia this year to help eligible students get the nutrition they need when school is out. Summertime is supposed to be fun and carefree for young people, but for many families it can mean additional financial strain. During the school year, many families can guarantee that their children will get breakfast and lunch, but without that support, it can be difficult to feed the entire family three nutritious meals a day. 

But there is a great program that can help fill this gap! SUN Bucks can help maximize families’ food budgets through the summer. Last summer, SUN Bucks provided grocery supports to more than 713,000 children and families in Virginia. 

SUN Bucks provides eligible students and their families with a one time payment of $120 per child to help buy groceries during summer break. Benefits are provided on an electronic card that families can use to shop at grocery stores, farmers markets, and some online retailers.  

Now is the time to check your eligibility!  

To qualify, families must meet income guidelines, and children must be enrolled in a school participating in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. Many students will be automatically eligible and approved, but some students will need to apply. 

Families don’t need to apply for SUN Bucks if their child is enrolled in:  

• SNAP or TANF benefits 

• Free or reduced-price school meals  

• Medicaid, in some cases* 

*For children enrolled in Medicaid: Most children enrolled in Medicaid will be automatically eligible for SUN Bucks, but parents should check their child’s eligibility to be sure, as there are differences in income eligibility between programs. 

If a family is not enrolled in those programs, and their monthly income is below the amounts shown below, they are eligible and will need to apply. Families can use the SUN Bucks website tool to determine if they are eligible, if they are unsure. 

Family Size	Monthly Income Limit	Annual Income Limit
2	$3,152	$37,814
3	$3,981	$47,767
4	$4,810	$57,720
5	$5,640	$67,673

If you aren’t automatically eligible, you need to apply!  

Families have two options for applying:  

1. Visit www.virginiasunbucks.com to print out the application. Once completed, mail the completed application to:  

Virginia SUN Bucks 
Virginia Department of Social Services 
5600 Cox Road 
Glen Allen, VA 23060 

2. Beginning July 1 through August 30, you can also apply by contacting the Virginia SUN Bucks Call Center at 866-513-1414. They are available to help families fill out an application over the phone between Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  
   • Parents will need the following information about their child when they call:
     • Legal name, date of birth (month, date, year) and home address 
     • School name and school’s county/city division
     • Student ID number (found in the school’s parent portal)
     • All household income

Virginia SUN Bucks will issue 2025 benefits on a rolling basis beginning in mid-July. Families that receive SNAP will have benefits issued to their EBT card. For families who don’t participate in SNAP, their SUN Bucks benefits will be loaded onto a new SUN Bucks card that will be mailed to the address on file with their child’s school or application.  

Spread the Word and Help Children in Your Community!  

SUN Bucks offers critical support to ensure children get the healthy food they need, even when school meals aren’t available. Evaluations of the program showed that SUN Bucks decreased the number of children with very low food security by one-third and increased their fruit and vegetable consumption. Giving families direct cash supports allows them to have the flexibility to select foods that are culturally relevant and diet-specific for their family’s needs. 

Spread the word in your community! Let families know about the Virginia SUN Bucks program and how to receive benefits for their children. Together, we can ensure Virginia’s children are food secure this summer and all year round.  

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