SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, is a program that provides a one-time $120 benefit per year to help families buy groceries for their school-aged children when meals aren't available at school during the summer months. Nearly 550,000 Washington children received SUN Bucks over the summer of 2025.
Sign up for text alerts to be notified of SUN Bucks updates, benefit details, important reminders and answers to questions.
For questions about the SUN Bucks program or your benefits, please call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 (TTY: 800-833-6348) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday (except observed holidays).
Who is eligible for SUN Bucks?
Most children will automatically qualify for SUN Bucks if at any point from July 1 of the previous year through the end of the current summer period they were either:
- 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 a school that isn't a Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2 school**.
- Age 8-18 and a member of a household that receives benefits from TANF or SNAP.
If your child is automatically enrolled, you will receive notification beginning in June the summer following the most recent academic school year.
** Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2 schools are those that serve breakfast or lunch at no cost to all students without the requirement to apply.
Do I need to apply for SUN Bucks?
If your child is not automatically enrolled, you can submit an online SUN Bucks application. Your child might still be eligible by application if they are both:
- Enrolled at an NSLP or SBP participating school.
- Living in a household with income that meets NSLP Income Eligibility Guidelines to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
We encourage families to apply online for faster processing, but if you are unable to submit an application online, you may print, complete, and mail a paper SUN Bucks application to:
DSHS Customer Service Center
P.O. Box 11669
Tacoma, WA 98411-6699
Paper applications are available in additional languages under Form 14-554.
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