Latest news with #SUNBucks
Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
SUN Meals answer summer hunger pangs
The kids sat at picnic tables at New Chicago's Twin Oaks Park Thursday munching on ham and cheddar submarine sandwiches provided by the food service department at the River Forest Community School Corp. 'They love it,' Britney Bansley said of her three children, Joshua Smith, 8, Cephas Smith, 6, and Evalynn Smith, 4. 'This my first time here because I have a random day off. My babysitter has been bringing them.' Bansley said she likes the program also because if the kids don't finish their meals, they're able to bring them home to eat later. River Forest is one of dozens of Northwest Indiana school districts and charter schools taking part in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's SUN Meals, a free summer nutrition program for children 18-and-under. 'Our kids really need it,' said River Forest food service director Nick Alessandri. 'Thirty-five is a pretty good turnout,' he said of Thursday's attendance at Twin Oaks. 'I definitely think the program is necessary.' Throughout the U.S., various sites, including schools, parks, libraries, and others offer free lunches while school is out to make sure children receive nutritious options. Formerly known as the Summer Food Service Program, it's been around for decades and received a menu update last year by the Biden administration with SUN Meals, SUN Meals To-GO and the new SUN Bucks program. This year, Indiana opted out of the second-year SUN Bucks program, which provides needy families in the Electronic Benefits Transfer program (EBT) with a grocery benefit of $120 per eligible school child. Indiana joined the program last year under former Gov. Eric Holcomb, but officials in the Braun administration blamed Holcomb's administration for insufficient planning and funding preparations leaving it unable to fulfill the program's requirements. The SUN Meals program, however, remains unaffected throughout the state. The Twin Oaks Park site is one five sites served by River Forest schools, said Superintendent Kevin Trezak. Twin Oaks is the lone one with a learning component, said New Chicago Park Board vice president Morgan McCabe. On Thursday, the children watched Patricia Riley-Churilla teach common American Sign Language phrases such as family and mother. They also have speakers from the New Chicago-Lake Station Public Library and the Shirley Heinze Land Trust. The kids craft art projects on Mondays and last year, they painted park benches, McCabe said. Trezak said the three offsites together are averaging about 85 kids a day. 'These are great numbers for us since the offsite spots are aimed to serve those with transportation needs,' he said. Northwest Indiana is home to multiple free school lunch sites from East Chicago to LaPorte. To find a site, see:
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
SNAP Recipients Get Extra Money This Month in California
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in California will be getting some extra money this month. Why It Matters More than 40 million low-income Americans benefit from SNAP, which allows them to use EBT cards on qualifying food purchases at their local grocery stores. During the summer, SNAP recipients may face additional financial hardship as children no longer benefit from free or reduced lunch that's offered at public schools. The extra money in California's SNAP benefits this month could mark the difference between a child going hungry or not. What To Know Roughly 4 million California children are set to receive automatic "SUN Bucks" food benefits via an EBT card that will be mailed out later this month. The food benefits are an extra $120, with additional grocery funds going out in monthly $40 installments through the fall. "We are proud that California was one of the first states in the nation to launch this new federal program last year, which is helping families in need across California," California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Director Jennifer Troia said in a statement. "Last year, nearly $500 million in food purchases were made using SUN Bucks food benefits by families and caregivers in California." Households are automatically enrolled if their child receives free or reduced-price school meals or if the family already receives CalFresh, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids or Medi-Cal benefits. Children in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or part of a migrant family are also automatically enrolled. Children who aren't automatically enrolled can apply by submitting a school mail application or Universal Benefits Application to their school by September 2. Fruit and vegetables are seen at a Walmart supermarket in Houston on May 15. Fruit and vegetables are seen at a Walmart supermarket in Houston on May 15. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images What People Are Saying Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "While most students look forward to summer break, for some, the period is not without hardships. For some children, accessibility to affordable food may present problems. Under SNAP, California has developed a system for the summer months where SUN bucks are issued to help eligible families cover the costs of some food purchases." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "This will definitely help, although you are only providing $6/day to feed an eligible individual based on a 20/day month. Many won't see this as enough but it definitely helps." What Happens Next? All "SUN Bucks" cards should be sent by the end of July. All SUN Bucks funds must be used within 122 days. "This extra funding ensures children who receive free or reduced meals during the school year can be provided for at the dinner table during the months when classes aren't in session," Beene said. "California is not alone in this, as other states have attempted similar programs to provide meals to the most vulnerable during the summer months. It's a good trend."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Summer EBT ‘SUN Bucks' going out this month
(WKBN) – Ohio's Sun Bucks program will be distributed through June. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children, also known as Summer EBT or SUN Bucks, is a federal program that provides assistance to eligible families with school-aged children while those schools are closed for the summer. SUN Bucks is a one-time benefit of $120 per eligible child. The benefit will be distributed in batches through June. Those receiving SNAP and Medicaid are automatically enrolled and will be loaded on the One Direction Card. New recipients will receive a benefit card by mail. Like SNAP, the extra money can be used to buy goods at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other authorized retailers. Last year, $144 million was given out in extra food assistance to over 1.2 million Ohio children through the SUN Bucks program. Families not automatically eligible can learn more about the application process online. Research shows that during a slowing economy, $1 billion in new SNAP benefits would lead to an increase of $1.54 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 54% above and beyond the new benefits. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: Are needy Hawaii kids getting summer food money?
Question : Last summer kids on SNAP got money for over the summer. Will they do this again this summer ? Answer : Yes. You are referring to the SUN Bucks program, also known as Summer EBT, which is underway and remains open for applications, according to the state Department of Human Services. Many school-aged children, including those in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, automatically qualified for SUN Bucks ; their households did not need to apply. A mainland vendor began mailing SUN Bucks electronic benefit transfer cards to those children starting the week of May 19, with delivery expected to take two to three weeks, according to DHS. If your household qualified for automatic enrollment but has not received the $177 benefit per child, you may call the SUN Bucks customer serv ice line toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT (7328 ) to ensure your correct mailing address is on file. 'We are using the mailing address based on the child's school records, or the household's mailing address per their SNAP or TANF case, if the household participates or has participated in those programs. If families believe we may have incorrect mailing information ' they should call the aforementioned number to report the change of address, according to the DHS website. Families whose children were not automatically enrolled but who meet the requirements still have time to apply. Go to to apply online or to download a paper application and for eligibility details, including household income cutoffs. Note that 'households that applied for, and were determined eligible for, Summer 2024 during the period of July 1, 2024, through August 4, 2024, do not need to submit an application for Summer 2025. The same Summer 2024 application will be used to determine eligibility for Summer 2025, ' DHS says. The program, which is funded by the state of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is meant to ensure that school-age children who usually eat breakfast and lunch at school have access to healthy food during the summer break. According to Human Services, school-aged children are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks (no application required ) if :—The child's household participated in SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families in any month from July 1, 2024, through Aug. 3, 2025 ; or—The child has been identified as a ward of the state (foster child ), or identified by their school as homeless, migrant, or runaway ; or—The child attended a school that offers the National School Lunch Program, and their household applied for and was approved for free or reduced-price school meals. School-aged is defined as 'a child who will have arrived at the age of at least 5 years on or before July 31 of the school year, and who will not have arrived at the age of 18 years, by Jan. 1 of any school year.' Exceptions allow SUN Bucks benefits for some younger children, including those in Head Start. See the DHS website for details. Q : As we approach the second anniversary of the Maui fires, I am wondering how much that one big fund ended up collecting and if they've spent it all ? A : Nearly $210 million has been donated to the Maui Strong Fund (including interest earned ), of which about $141 million has been awarded and committed to grantees, according to the Hawaii Community Foundation, which administers the fund. Read about specific grants on the HCF website, . The fund provides financial resources for the immediate and long-term needs of people and places affected by that devastated Lahaina and also ravaged Kula.------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MO, KS helping families in need pay for groceries this summer for kids
SHAWNEE, Kan. — Parents who are struggling to pay the bills and have school-age children could be eligible for SUN Bucks this summer. SUN Bucks stands for Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer. It's a federal program for low-income parents to receive a one-time payment of $120 per child to help pay for groceries during the summer months. Kansas City's Country Club Plaza struggles with closures and empty shops Most metro schools are already offering free breakfast and lunch during the summer, so SUN Bucks can be used to help pay for dinners. There are no income requirements for the free lunch program at area schools. All kids are welcome to get a free meal. Parents are encouraged to reach out to their school district to find out where kids can go to eat breakfast and lunch for free. As for SUN Bucks, this is the second year of the federal program. More than 125,000 kids in Kansas received the $120 subsidy last summer. More than 490,000 kids in Missouri are expected to get SUN Bucks this summer. Last year, Missouri didn't get the SUN Bucks out until September due to technical and staffing issues. But they are ready this summer and started sending out these benefits last week. This program is for families that are struggling financially. If you receive SNAP benefits for groceries, or if your child gets a free or reduced-price meal at school, the $120 per child will automatically be sent to you or added to your SNAP card. However, you must spend that money by the end of September, or you will lose it. For those who didn't get the money added to their SNAP card, or for those who think they are eligible and want to apply, that information can be found online for Missouri residents and Kan. All but 12 states participate in the SUN Bucks program. As for the free lunch program during the summer, school districts are only serving food at certain schools through the end of July. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
