Washington SUN Bucks Summer EBT Program

Most children will be automatically enrolled without having to apply if, between July 1, 2023, and Aug. 31, 2024, they were:

1. Enrolled at a school that offers the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program AND individually approved for free or reduced-price meals at school OR
2. Age 8-18 and a member of a household that receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or State-Funded Assistance.

Note: Children who automatically receive free or reduced-price meals at Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2 schools will need to submit a meal application or Family Income Survey to their school for automatic enrollment.

SUN Bucks Application

Students who are not automatically enrolled may qualify by submitting a SUN Bucks application if they are:

1. Enrolled at an NSLP or SBP participating school AND
2. Living in a household with income that meets NSLP Income Eligibility Guidelines to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

SUN Bucks applications are open to families through Aug. 31, 2024.

If you are unable to submit an online application, you may print and mail a completed SUN Bucks application (Form 14-554) to the DSHS Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 11669, Tacoma, WA 98411-6699. Submitting a paper application will delay processing and may be denied if information is missing or incomplete.

Online and paper applications are subject to additional questions and verification as needed. 

You may only receive SUN Bucks in one state. If we find you have received SUN Bucks in another state, you may be issued an overpayment.

 

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How will I know my child has been enrolled into SUN Bucks?

Once eligibility is verified through application or automatically, each eligible child will receive an approval letter. A dedicated SUN Bucks card will arrive about seven to 10 business days later.

 
Sign up for text messaging to be notified if you have been automatically enrolled, the status of your application and other general SUN Bucks information.

You can also call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 (TTY: 1-800-833-6348) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday–Friday (except observed holidays).

 

SUN Bucks requires students to meet Income Eligibility Guidelines. CEP and Provision 2 schools don’t require income verification to qualify for free and reduced-price meals, so families with children attending these schools will need to submit a Family Income Survey or meal application to qualify. These Income Guidelines are revised on July 1 of every year; the income limits used to determine SUN Bucks eligibility are the limits in place on the date of application.

 
SUN Bucks cards can be used at any authorized retailers nationwide where EBT is accepted, including at participating farmers markets, on uncooked: fruits, veggies, meat, dairy products, breads and cereals, snack foods, non-alcoholic beverages, seeds and plants that produce food.

 

SUN Bucks benefits expire within 122 days from the time they were issued. This is different from SNAP or Pandemic EBT benefits that expire 274 days from the date of last use. Be sure to use your SUN Bucks benefits over the summer period!

 

If you don’t want to participate in SUN Bucks, simply discard the SUN Bucks card and they will expire 122 days after issuance. 

 

SUN Bucks is not the same as Pandemic EBT, which ended in 2023. Eligibility requirements and benefit amounts differ between the two programs, and SUN Bucks is a new permanent program where Pandemic EBT was temporary support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

SUN Bucks qualify for Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Programs. If a family has a SUN Bucks card and a SNAP/EBT card, both cards receive additional benefits for purchase of fruits and vegetables. Visit Department of Health's SNAP Match program website to find participating retailers and farmers markets near you.