CalFresh SUN Bucks card not received yet - Last name 'S' distribution timeline?
Has anyone with a last name starting with 'S' gotten their child's SUN Bucks card yet? I was told my daughter's card would arrive by August 2nd WITH funds already loaded for that same day. It's already July 28th and I'm getting nervous since we're counting on those extra food benefits for back-to-school shopping. The county worker I spoke with last month mentioned something about alphabetical distribution but wasn't clear on exact dates. Just wondering if other 'S' families are still waiting or if I should call the EBT customer service line to check on status? This is our first time getting these summer nutrition benefits so I'm not sure how reliable the delivery timeline is.
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Monique Byrd
SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) distribution is definitely happening in alphabetical waves this year. For last names starting with S, August 2nd sounds right based on what I've heard. They're doing A-G, then H-M, then N-R, then S-Z with about a week between each group. The cards are being mailed separately from regular CalFresh EBT cards, and yes, they should arrive with funds already loaded. If you don't receive it by August 3rd, I'd recommend calling the special Summer EBT hotline at 877-328-9677 rather than the regular EBT customer service.
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Alejandro Castro
AuthorThank you! I wasn't aware there was a separate hotline for the Summer EBT program. I'll wait until the 3rd before panicking. Do you know how much we should expect per child? The worker mentioned something around $120 per eligible child but wasn't 100% sure.
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Jackie Martinez
my last name starts with S too and i havent got nothing yet. my neighbor got hers last week but her name starts with K so i guess thats why
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Lia Quinn
same!!! waiting on 3 cards for my kiddos. kinda frustrating cuz my sister (last name now Johnson cuz she married) already got hers last week even tho we applied same day
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Haley Stokes
The SUN Bucks rollout is super inconsistent. I was also told August 2nd (last name Smith), but I called yesterday because my sister-in-law already got hers (last name Roberts) which made no sense if they're doing it alphabetically. The worker told me they're actually releasing in batches based on both first letter of last name AND county of residence. So S in one county might be earlier than S in another county. I'd definitely call if it doesn't come by the 3rd, but be prepared for a LONG wait time. I was on hold for 2 hours and then got disconnected!!!
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Asher Levin
I had the same experience with the disconnects and hours-long hold times when trying to check on our SUN Bucks cards. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they hold your place in line and call you back when a worker is available. Saved me so much frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Way better than having my phone tied up all day waiting.
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Serene Snow
To clarify some misinformation: SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) for children is being distributed based on the alphabetical order of last names, but there is some variation by county processing capacity. The benefit amount for Summer 2025 is $125 per eligible child for the entire summer period (not monthly). Cards are being mailed separately from regular CalFresh EBT cards and should arrive with funds already loaded. The August 2nd date for last names beginning with 'S' is accurate for most counties. If you don't receive your card by August 5th (allowing for mail delivery delays), you should contact your county office or call the dedicated Summer EBT hotline at 877-328-9677.
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Alejandro Castro
AuthorThank you for this clear information! $125 total makes more sense than what I thought I heard. Is this a one-time summer benefit or will it happen again during winter break? And do we need to spend it all before school starts or does it stay on the card?
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Issac Nightingale
DONT WASTE YOUR TIME CALLING THAT SUMMER EBT LINE!!!!! i tried 23 TIMES over 3 days and either got busy signals or was on hold for 45+ min before getting hung up on!!! complete disaster like everything else with calfresh!!!! 😡😡😡
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Asher Levin
That's why I recommended using Claimyr in my comment above - it's the only way I've been able to actually reach someone at CalFresh lately. Too many people calling at once with all these new programs rolling out.
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Serene Snow
To answer your follow-up questions: SUN Bucks is specifically a summer nutrition benefit for when children don't have access to school meals. There is a separate Winter EBT program for some winter breaks but it's not available in all counties yet. The funds don't expire quickly - you'll have at least 9 months to use the benefits once they're issued. They work just like regular EBT for food purchases. And yes, $125 is the total one-time amount per child for Summer 2025, not a monthly amount.
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Alejandro Castro
AuthorThank you so much! This is all really helpful. I'll stop worrying until after August 3rd then. Appreciate everyone's input!
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Lia Quinn
my kids got their sun buck cards today!!!! last name starts w/ S too!!! maybe check ur mail??
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Alejandro Castro
AuthorJust checked and nothing yet! But that gives me hope they're starting to arrive for S names. Thanks for the update!
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Noah Ali
Just wanted to add that I'm also waiting for my SUN Bucks card (last name starts with 'S') and haven't received it yet either. I'm in Sacramento County if that helps with the timing. One thing I learned from calling my local county office is that they're also prioritizing families with younger children first within each alphabetical group, so if you have elementary school aged kids you might get yours before families with high schoolers. Also, make sure your address is updated in your CalFresh case because these cards are being mailed to whatever address they have on file, not necessarily where you're currently living. Hope this helps someone!
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