California launches SUN Bucks for summer 2026 to help fight childhood food insecurity

What you need to know: The state is launching SUN Bucks for summer 2026, providing eligible families with $120 per child in food benefits to combat food insecurity while children are on summer break and without access to free school meals.

SACRAMENTO - Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that funding will be available for eligible families with school-aged children to prevent childhood hunger while kids are on summer break. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has begun mailing electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards with SUN Bucks food benefits, providing families $40 per month for food in June, July, and August ($120 total) per eligible child when children have limited access to school meals.

Sun Bucks is a vital program for fighting childhood food insecurity. As the agricultural leader of the nation, our state will not allow for our own children to go hungry. This funding will help connect eligible families with access to nutritious foods to keep kids fed while on summer break and without access to free school meals.

Governor Gavin Newsom

California's children deserve the best start in life and that begins with access to the nourishing food they need to learn and thrive year-round. SUN Bucks is a critical benefit for California families, and the Golden State is proud to once again put the health and well-being of our children first, ensuring food security during the summer months.

Primera Pareja Jennifer Siebel Newsom

"Since the launch of the program in 2024, more than $877 million in food purchases have been made by families and caregivers across the state using SUN Bucks food benefits," CDSS Director Jennifer Troia said. "We are happy to see this program continue into its third year of providing essential meals to children during the summer months."

In 2025, more than 3.3 million SUN Bucks cards were activated. For 2026, more than 3.5 million eligible children in California will be automatically enrolled in the program. For automatically enrolled children, cards will begin arriving in late May. Eligible children who are not automatically enrolled will need to apply through their school to get benefits.

How SUN Bucks works

Most children are automatically enrolled if they qualify for free or reduced-price school meals or receive CalFresh, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), and/or Medi-Cal (certified at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level). Children can also be automatically enrolled if their school identifies them as being in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or part of a migrant family.

Families of children who are not automatically enrolled may apply by submitting a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application to their child's school by August 31, 2026, to receive SUN Bucks benefits for summer 2026.

Per federal rules, funds must be used within 122 days from when they were added to the card. Any unused funds will expire after 122 days. Expired benefits cannot be replaced. Visit the CDSS SUN Bucks webpage for more information.

Participation in SUN Bucks will have no bearing on eligibility for CalFresh or any other public benefit program. Children who receive SUN Bucks may still participate in other summer meal options, such as SUN Meals.

About the Sun Bucks program

In December 2022, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, which created a new, permanent summer EBT program for states to provide food benefits to families beginning in 2024. In July 2023, California passed Assembly Bill 120, which established CDSS as the lead implementing agency.

H.R. 1: Exacerbating food insecurity

A new federal law, H.R. 1, is reducing who is eligible for the CalFresh food program and will cut the amount of CalFresh food benefits that some people receive. H.R. 1 recently eliminated CalFresh eligibility for most lawfully present immigrants. On June 1, 2026, CalFresh rules will change, requiring more people to meet work or community engagement requirements to keep their benefits. An estimated 737,000 CalFresh recipients may lose their benefits.

Access more information about these federally required changes to CalFresh.

Leading the way to fight hunger

California was the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for schoolchildren, providing all public TK-12 students access to two free meals per school day. Governor Newsom also signed legislation to increase enrollment in state food assistance programs, reduce youth consumption of processed foods, and increase access to healthy, locally grown food in all California communities.

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also championed efforts to develop the innovative California Farm to School initiative. California Farm to School works in tandem with universal school meals to ensure California students have access to two free school meals that are locally-sourced, delicious, and nutritious.