Summer is just around the corner, and while some people are excited to make the most of the sunny days, others are worried about how to feed their children in these coming days.
Therefore, the Biden administration has come up with a new program to help those who are in need.
The Summer Food Gap
The Biden administration hopes to solve this summer food gap problem by implementing a new program that would be beneficial to those in need.
The plan is to provide funds for millions of families that they would use for grocery shopping and to feed their young who used to depend on food programs in schools and when they were open.
More Food Funding
Earlier this year, in May, the Biden administration announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) would begin a new series of “SUN Programs.”
These SUN Programs aim to provide food assistance for eligible families during the summer, and it has already begun as some families have started receiving additional food funds under the SUN Bucks Program.
Details of the Program
SUN Bucks are an additional distribution of funds for food assistance to households who are struggling to make ends meet and are under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other food assistance programs.
According to an estimate by the USDA, this program will benefit about 21 million children this summer. Therefore, these kids will not feel the full effects of schools being closed or go hungry.
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Who Is Eligible?
Through SUN Bucks, families in the U.S. who have school-aged children can apply to be in the program. If found eligible, the family can get food help funds of $120 to buy food and snacks throughout the summer for their children.
However, some states that already have a very high cost of food will have a higher amount allocated. These include households in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Hawaii, Alaska, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Voluntary Participation
A USDA spokesperson emailed a statement to The Hill explaining that the SUN Bucks program was made available to all 50 states, tribes, and territories.
However, not every state agreed to participate. Only 36 states, five territories, the District of Columbia, and two tribes chose to participate in the program. Since this is the inaugural year of the program, those who are not currently participating can still choose to participate in the future.
Which States Are Participating?
To make it easier for people to know the regions that are participating, the USDA website has a map of all the participating states, tribes, and territories. They can also check their local agencies for confirmation.
Families enrolled in programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and SNAP can also apply for this.
The Summer EBT Program
In addition, those families who have kids in the required age range and meet the criteria for free and reduced-price school meals are also qualified for this program. This SUN Bucks program is also called the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT).
Families and households who are not regular recipients of either state or federal food assistance can also participate in this program by applying.
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Availability of Funds
Since many people are interested in this program, it is important for those who have not received any benefits or previously qualified for either free or reduced food to check if funds are available in their area.
They can also check with the state agency that is in charge of SNAP around them to know if the Summer EBT application is available for them to register.
How To Qualify
According to the laid out rules for application, all families with kids are qualified as long as they fall within the income requirements. For those who are already enrolled in other benefits like SNAP, they are still eligible for SUN Bucks funds this summer.
Therefore, they can still apply as long as they live in a participating state, territory, or tribe.
Installment Payments Available
According to several reports, states like Arizona, Washington, Louisiana, and California have already started giving out summer food funds to eligible families via EBT cards or by mailing out SUN Bucks cards to them.
They can also choose how they would be paid. Some choose to receive the $120 at once, while others want it divided into installments, weekly or monthly payments.
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Deadlines for Applications
On the other hand, some other states, like Kentucky, are still accepting family applications. Others, like New York, are getting ready to start accepting these applications online very soon.
These applications usually end in the early weeks of August or September. However, these deadlines vary with states.
Distributing the Funds
The USDA has also specified that SUN Bucks must be distributed to applicants and made available for use within 15 operational days of the agency receiving an application.
A spokesperson also noted that the number of eligible applicants will determine the maximum amount of families that can receive the money and the government hopes to increase the fee from $120 to a higher amount next summer.
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