1. What are SUN Bucks?
A program to provide benefits to households with school-aged children to purchase food during the
summer. Households will receive $177 for each qualifying child, to be spent during the summer
months. Eligibility must be established annually.
2. How is SUN Bucks funded?
SUN Bucks is funded by the state of Hawaiʻi and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
3. Who automatically qualifies (no application is
required) for SUN Bucks?
School-aged children are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks if:
- The child was in a household that participated in
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) in any month from July 1, 2025, through August 2, 2026; or
- The child has been identified as a ward of the
state (foster child), or identified by their school as homeless, migrant, or runaway; or
- The child attended a school that offers the
National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and the household applied for and was approved for
free or reduced-price school meals.
- Exceptions to the school-aged requirement are
Head Start and/or other pre-K students that attended a program that participated in the NSLP
at their NSLP participating school.
4. Who needs to complete a SUN Bucks application?
The following households would need to complete a SUN Bucks application starting July 1, 2025
through August 2, 2026:
- Households with children attending a school
operating the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) where all meals are free to all
students, who did not apply for or was not approved for free or reduced-price school meals
and who have household income that falls at or below the limits of the Federal Income
Eligibility Guidelines (see chart below).
- Households with children attending a school
operating NSLP who were not approved for free or reduced meals during the school year but
may be eligible now because their household income falls at or below the limits of the
Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines (see chart below).
NOTE: Households that applied for,
and were determined eligible for, Summer 2025 during the period of July 1, 2025, through August
3, 2025 do not need to submit an application for Summer 2026. The same Summer 2025 application
will be used to determine eligibility for Summer 2026.
FEDERAL INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025
| Household Size |
Yearly |
Monthly |
Weekly |
| 1 |
$33,282 |
$2,774 |
$641 |
| 2 |
$44,992 |
$3,750 |
$866 |
| 3 |
$56,703 |
$4,726 |
$1,091 |
| 4 |
$68,413 |
$5,702 |
$1,316 |
| Household Size |
Yearly |
Monthly |
Weekly |
| 5 |
$80,124 |
$6,677 |
$1,541 |
| 6 |
$91,834 |
$7,653 |
$1,767 |
| 7 |
$103,545 |
$8,629 |
$1,992 |
| 8 |
$115,255 |
$9,605 |
$2,217 |
5. What is the definition of school-aged?
A child who will have arrived at the age of at least five years on or before July 31 of the school
year, and who will not have arrived at the age of eighteen years, by January 1 of any school year.
6. My child is homeschooled, can we receive SUN
Bucks?
Homeschool families that receive or received SNAP or TANF in any month from July 1, 2025, through
August 2, 2026, or have a foster child are eligible to receive this benefit. Interested families
should complete this application and designate their foster status. The application will then be
reviewed to determine eligibility. An application is not needed for SNAP and TANF households, please
see item 3 above. Homeschool households cannot qualify for SUN Bucks using household income.
7. How much in SUN Bucks will I get?
SUN Bucks will be issued as a $177 lump sum per eligible child for the summer period. This amount is
intended to assist with groceries for the entire summer.
8. When will I receive the SUN Bucks for Summer 2026?
For children who automatically qualify, (see item 3 above):
- If your child received SUN Bucks in Summer
benefits will be accessible through the same SUN Bucks EBT card. Benefits will be available
starting May 27, 2026.
- If Summer 2026 is the first time your child has
been approved for SUN Bucks, then a SUN Bucks-branded EBT card with the $177 benefit already
loaded will be mailed out by our mainland vendor, FIS, starting the week of May 11th via
USPS. Households should anticipate that it may take 2-3 weeks for delivery.
We are using the mailing address based on the child’s school records, or the household's mailing
address per their SNAP or TANF case if the household participates or has participated in those
programs. If families believe we may have incorrect mailing information they should contact the
SUN Bucks Customer Service
toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT(7328) to report their change of address.
If your child is a foster child, cards will be mailed to a central Child Welfare office on Oʻahu
first and will be routed to the appropriate Child Welfare office that services the foster child
thereafter for distribution.
9. Where can I use SUN Bucks and what can be
purchased with it?
Use SUN Bucks anywhere EBT benefits are accepted. Benefits may only be used to purchase food. Stores
cannot give change or cash back from a food benefit transaction. Only the exact amount of food
purchases may be deducted from the food benefit account. If returns are made from a SNAP account,
the amount of the return will go onto the EBT card as a credit. Cash cannot be given for returns
according to federal law. There is no minimum dollar amount per transaction or a maximum limit on
the number of transactions.
For a list of SNAP-eligible foods, see
www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items.
SUN Bucks can also be used with the Da Bux program.
10. What purchases are not allowed with SUN Bucks?
The following are products that cannot be paid for using SUN Bucks:
- Hot Food
- Beer/wine/other alcoholic drinks
- Cigarettes/cigars/other tobacco products
- Gasoline
- Dog food/cat food/other pet foods
- Vitamins/medicine
Further, any unauthorized use, transfer, alteration, possession, or presentation of the SUN Bucks
benefit or card may be subject to prosecution as a federal offense.
11. When will SUN Bucks expire?
Unused benefits expire 122 days after the date benefits are issued. Please use the benefit within
that time frame. Once expired, the benefit cannot be reloaded.
12. How does my child receive the SUN Bucks card if
custody is split between two households?
The SUN Bucks benefit is meant for the child; the SUN Bucks EBT card is issued in the child’s name
and is meant to travel with the child between households. The child’s SUN Bucks card will be mailed
via USPS to the mailing address of the parent or guardian listed in the child’s school record. This
may be the adult who submitted a free and reduced priced meal application for the child, or the
adult listed as the primary contact in the school’s system. Please work with any other
parent/guardians and coordinate to support the child that the benefits are intended for
13. What should I do when I get my SUN Bucks card in
the mail?
Follow the instructions that came with your SUN Bucks card and set up your PIN. Then your card can
be used to buy food in most grocery stores and farmer's markets. Please hold on to your card as that
is the only way you can redeem the SUN Bucks benefits. For the 2025 Summer period, NEW cards are
being mailed out. If you have or received a 2024 Sun Bucks EBT card, please disregard that card.
Instead use the new 2025 Sun Bucks EBT card. The new card can also be used again if you are eligible
to receive SUN Bucks benefits for future summer periods.
14. How do I change my PIN?
To change your PIN or learn how to protect your benefits, download the free ebtEDGE mobile app or
visit
www.ebtEDGE.com.
If your SUN Bucks card is lost, stolen or damaged and you need a replacement card, call the
FIS Customer Service
Center
toll-free at
1-888-328-4292.
15. Should I fill out an application if I received a
notice saying that my child is approved SUN Bucks for Summer 2026?
No, but please read the notice and the enclosed FAQs about SUN Bucks. If any children in your
household were missing from your eligibility notification, please contact the SUN Bucks Customer Service
toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT(7328).
16. Will the information I provide on my application
be checked?
Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
17. If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the SUN Bucks 2026 period that is open till August 2, 2026.
For example, should you or someone in your household experience a loss of wages or becomes
unemployed, you may choose to reapply and your child may be eligible for SUN Bucks if the household
income drops below the income limit.
18. What if I disagree with the decision about my
application?
Please contact the SUN Bucks
Customer Service toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT(7328).
19. May I apply if someone in my household is not a
U.S, citizen?
Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply.
20. What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1,000 each month, but
you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1,000 per month. If you
normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you
have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.
21. What if some household members have no income to
report?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or
may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a “0” in the field. However, if
any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful
when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
22. What if there isn’t enough space on the
application for my family?
List any additional household members and required information on a separate piece of paper, and
attach it to your application.
23. Can I apply online?
Yes! We encourage you to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are
able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as
the paper application. Visit
sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov to begin the online
application process or need to download the paper application. Contact the
SUN Bucks Customer Service
toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT(7328) if you have any questions about the online application
process.
24. Why do I need to register my children’s names on
my PO Box?
The U.S. Postal Service requires that all individuals who receive mail at a PO Box be listed on the
box rental agreement. If mail is addressed to someone not listed on the PO Box account (including
children), it may be held, delayed, or returned to the sender as “undeliverable.” Listing your
children ensures that all mail addressed to them—such as school correspondence, medical information,
or government documents is properly delivered.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at:
,
from any USDA office, by calling 866-632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must
contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged
discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about
the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be
submitted to USDA by:
