Happening Now: 2026 SUN Bucks Payments
Summer is a time when many Pennsylvania children may not have access to the free and reduced-price meals they get during the school year, and families might need a little extra help putting food on the table.
SUN Bucks is a federal program that provides eligible children and families with a SNAP-like benefit to purchase food for the summer months when school is not in session. SUN Bucks provides a one-time payment of $40 per summer month ($120 total) per eligible child.
Most eligible children will receive the benefit automatically and do not need to apply. Children are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks if:
• Their family already qualifies for SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),
• Their family qualifies for Medicaid with qualifying income for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), or
• They applied for and are eligible to receive free or reduced-price school meals.
SUN Bucks benefits for Summer 2026 are being issued from early June through the end of September.
If families already have an EBT card or Summer EBT card, SUN Bucks benefits will be automatically added to this card, if possible. Families who do not have an EBT card will receive a Summer EBT card in the mail. Families should keep their Summer EBT card because PA DHS will attempt to issue next year’s SUN Bucks payment to that same card if children are still eligible for the program.
Households that need to apply to receive SUN Bucks benefits for Summer 2026 can find the online application and application forms on the SUN Bucks webpage. Families can use the SUN Bucks Eligibility Navigator to see if they need to complete an application.
Applications can be submitted online, by mail, or completed at a local County Assistance Office. The deadline to apply for Summer 2026 SUN Bucks benefits is August 31, 2026. Applications received after this date will be considered for SUN Bucks 2027 next summer.
More information on SUN Bucks is available via the FAQ line at 1-877-762-1575 or by visiting www.dhs.pa.gov/SUNBucks .
