The Department of Economic Security (DES) in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), and in collaboration with the AZ Food Bank Network is implementing the Arizona Summer Nutrition (SUN Bucks) Program. SUN Bucks is a program that provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children during the summer when schools are closed.

Families with eligible children already receiving NA or CA benefits can expect benefits to be issued, beginning 06/02/2024. Benefits will be issued by the last name on the case, the same as we issue NA benefits. The benefit will be paid to the existing NA or CA case and participants will receive a letter later in June about the benefit.

For all other eligible SUN Bucks children, benefits will be issued starting in 07/2024 and new EBT cards and letters will be received in the mail in mid-07/2024.

AHCCCS eligible children aged 6 through 16, who are below 185% of the current Federal Poverty Level, have streamlined eligibility for the SUN Bucks program.

Families meeting SUN Bucks eligibility requirements receive a one-time payment of $120 for each eligible child. An eligible child includes any child aged 6 through 16 years old who meets any of the following at any time during the school Fiscal Year 2023:

Children aged 6 through 16 who are not streamlined eligible for automatic SUN Bucks enrollment, but attend an eligible NSLP or Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school will be able to visit https://www.azed.gov/SUNBucks or https://des.az.gov/sunbucks to apply for the benefit starting in mid-06/2024.

Families that apply and meet the eligibility requirements will receive SUN Bucks effective 07/2024 and letters will be received in the mail mid-07/2024. Participating in SUN Bucks does not impact the child’s ability to participate in the Summer Meals program.

Staff may receive phone calls from interested families or participants with questions regarding this program. Standard Work has been created and a SUN Bucks flyer is attached to this broadcast. Notices were created and will be mailed out to notify participants of the availability of the SUN Bucks benefits. DES established a toll free number at 1 (833) 648-4406 for customer support.

SUN Bucks will be paying benefits per family whenever possible. Participants should expect one card per household in most cases. The covered Summer-EBT period for Summer 2024 is 05/24/2024 through 07/31/2024.

Benefits will be expunged 122 days after being issued. The EBT vendor has made the SUN Bucks benefits the first spent benefits on any EBT card, before regular NA benefits. Families should keep their EBT card as it will be used again for Summer-EBT period 2025, when the family is still eligible.