Louisiana School-Age Children Could Get $120 This Summer — Here’s How

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL-FM) - If you have a school-aged child, they could get $120 this summer.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has announced that the state will participate again in the SUN Bucks program this summer.

Who is eligible for SUN Bucks?

SUN Bucks provides a one-time $120 summer grocery benefit to children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.

In more detail, here are the parameters for eligibility for this program:

• Children born between August 8, 2006, and July 1, 2019, who received SNAP, FITAP, KCSP, or income-based Medicaid benefits (household income below 185% of the federal poverty level) anytime between July 1, 2024, and August 8, 2025
• Children who applied and were individually approved to receive free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

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Children attending Community Eligibility Provision schools who did not complete an NSLP application, and who do not receive SNAP, FITAP, KCSP, or income-based Medicaid, will need to apply to determine eligibility. Parents can apply at https://louisiana.summerebtapp.com/.

What do you need to do to receive SUN Bucks for your child?

In most cases, you don't need to do anything. If your child or children receive free or reduced-price school meals, they'll be enrolled in the program automatically.

“Most eligible children will be automatically enrolled and do not need to apply,” said Sammy Guillory, Assistant Secretary for Family Support at DCFS. “Last year, of the nearly 670,000 Louisiana children who received over $80 million in SUN Bucks benefits, only about 1,500 were determined eligible through the application process. The rest were already automatically enrolled.”

How will families receive SUN Bucks?

• Families currently or previously enrolled in SNAP will receive SUN Bucks on their existing EBT card.
• Families who received SUN Bucks in 2024 will receive the 2025 benefit on the same card.
• New participants not enrolled in SNAP will receive a new, preloaded EBT card by mail.

What do I do if I've lost our EBT or SUN Bucks card?

Those who have lost their EBT or SUN Bucks card can request a replacement by:

• Calling 1-888-997-1117
• Visiting www.LifeInCheckEBT.com
• Using the LifeInCheck EBT mobile app
• Logging into the CAFE system

For more information

To learn more about Louisiana SUN Bucks, including Frequently Asked Questions, visit sunbucksla.gov.

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