Summer EBT (Sun Bucks) eligibility for non-school children on CalFresh - confused about rules
Really confused about the new Sun Bucks program (Summer EBT) and who qualifies in my household. I have 3 kids - my 8-year-old and 11-year-old are in school, but my youngest is only 3 and not in any preschool program yet. We all get CalFresh benefits. Last month at the grocery store, the cashier mentioned something about 'Sun Bucks coming soon' but I don't know if that's just for my school-aged kids or if my toddler qualifies too? The CalFresh worker I talked to last week seemed confused when I asked. Has anyone received clear information about this? Thanks for any help!
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Edwards Hugo
Sun Bucks (or Summer EBT) is generally for school-aged children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals during the regular school year. The program is designed to provide food benefits during summer months when school meals aren't available. In 2025, California expanded eligibility, but typically children need to be enrolled in some kind of educational program that participates in the National School Lunch Program. Your 8 and 11 year old should qualify if they receive free or reduced lunch at school. Your 3-year-old might not qualify unless they're enrolled in Head Start or a similar program that participates in federal meal programs. Your county CalFresh office should be able to confirm, but they've been overwhelmed with questions about the program.
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Dylan Fisher
•Thank you! That makes sense why the cashier mentioned it. My older kids do get free lunch at school. Is this something I need to apply for separately or will it automatically load on our EBT card?
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Gianna Scott
my sister got sun bucks for her kids last summer and her 4 yr old got it too, but he was in headstart so maybe thats why? the money just showed up on her regular ebt card in june i think
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Dylan Fisher
•Oh that's helpful! My 3-year-old isn't in HeadStart so maybe that's the difference. Did your sister have to apply separately or did it just automatically appear?
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Alfredo Lugo
I was wondering about this too!!! I have a 2 year old and a 6 year old, and when I asked my eligibility worker about Sun Bucks she had NO IDEA what I was talking about!!! Said she never heard of it which seems crazy since it's supposed to be a big program? How are we supposed to get help if they don't even know the programs??
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Sydney Torres
•The program is officially called Summer EBT, and Sun Bucks is California's branding for it. That might be why there's confusion - some workers might only know it by the official name. The state is still finalizing some of the eligibility details for 2025, which is why some county workers don't have complete information yet. I recommend checking the official BenefitsCal website for updates or call the dedicated Summer EBT hotline when it launches in April. They'll have the most accurate information about eligibility for non-school aged children.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
When I called about this last week, I was on hold for over 90 minutes before my call dropped. Tried calling back twice and couldn't get through at all. The online info isn't clear about non-school kids. Has anyone had success actually talking to someone about Sun Bucks eligibility?
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Caleb Bell
•I had the same frustrating experience trying to get through to ask questions about Summer EBT! I finally used Claimyr to connect with a live person at my county office. It's a service that holds your place in line and calls you when a worker is available. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The worker I spoke with confirmed that children must be in some form of educational program that participates in the National School Lunch Program to qualify. For kids under school age, that typically means Head Start or certain state-funded preschool programs. The benefit should automatically appear on your EBT card in June if your children qualify - no separate application needed.
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Danielle Campbell
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO BE CONFUSING ON PURPOSE!!! I spent 3 weeks trying to get a straight answer about Sun Bucks for my grandson who lives with me and EVERY person told me something different!!! One worker said he qualified, another said he didn't, a third said I needed to apply separately. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT!!
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Dylan Fisher
•That's exactly what's happening to me too! Every person tells me something different. It's so frustrating when you're just trying to make sure your kids have enough to eat.
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Sydney Torres
To clarify for everyone in this thread: Summer EBT (Sun Bucks in California) benefits for 2025 will be distributed to qualifying households starting in June. Here are the official eligibility requirements: 1. School-aged children (K-12) who receive free or reduced-price meals at school automatically qualify 2. Children in Head Start, Early Head Start, or state-funded preschool programs that participate in federal meal programs may qualify 3. Children under school age who are not in educational programs generally do not qualify, even if they receive CalFresh The benefits will automatically load onto your existing EBT card if your children qualify - no separate application needed. The benefit is approximately $40 per eligible child per month during summer break (June-August). The program is still relatively new, which is why there's confusion among some county workers.
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Alfredo Lugo
•THANK YOU for the clear explanation!! So if my 2 year old isn't in any program, they don't qualify, but my 6 year old in kindergarten does. At least now I know what to expect!
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Gianna Scott
does anyone know how much the sun bucks pays? is it the same amount as the p-ebt we got during covid?
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Edwards Hugo
•Summer EBT/Sun Bucks provides approximately $40 per eligible child per month during the summer months (typically June, July, and August). It's less than what was provided during COVID under P-EBT, which was around $120 per month at its peak. Unlike P-EBT which was a pandemic response, Summer EBT is now a permanent program to help families when school meals aren't available during summer breaks.
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Freya Thomsen
I'm in a similar situation with my 4-year-old who isn't in any formal program yet. After reading through all these responses, it sounds like I need to look into Head Start or other state-funded preschool programs if I want my younger child to qualify for Sun Bucks. Does anyone know if there's a waiting list for Head Start programs, or how early I should apply for next year? It seems like getting into one of these programs would not only help with my child's education but also make them eligible for the summer food benefits.
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