SUN Bucks FAQ

1. What are SUN Bucks?

Summer EBT, which is branded as SUN Bucks, is a new and permanent program to provide food purchasing benefits to households with school-aged children to purchase food during the summer. These households will receive a benefit amount determined by the federal government 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 starting from July 1 of the school year being considered, through the last day of the summer break of the same school year being considered; 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:
  • 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).
FEDERAL INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2024*
Household Size Yearly Monthly Weekly
1 $32,024 $2,669 $616
2 $43,475 $3,623 $837
3 $54,927 $4,578 $1,057
4 $66,378 $5,532 $1,277
5 $77,830 $6,486 $1,497
6 $89,281 $7,441 $1,717
7 $100,733 $8,395 $1,938
8 $112,184 $9,349 $2,158
For each additional person: $11,452 $955 $221
*Income guidelines are updated annually every July.

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?

Students who are homeschooled whose families receive or have received SNAP or TANF in any month from July 1 of the school year being considered through the last day of the summer break of the same school year being considered, or foster children who are homeschooled are eligible to receive this benefit.
An application is not needed for SNAP and TANF households, please see item 3 above. Interested foster families should complete this application and designate the foster status of the child. The application will then be reviewed to determine eligibility. Homeschool households cannot qualify for SUN Bucks using household income.

7. How much in SUN Bucks will I get?

The SUN Bucks benefit amount is determined annually by the federal government and will be issued as a one-time lump sum payment 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 EBT card?

If you had previously received a SUN Bucks card, the same card will be reloaded (if your child is eligible to receive that summer's benefit) with SUN Bucks benefits during the Summer break period. The Department will notify you before the benefits are issued. We will use the mailing address based on your child’s school records, or the household's mailing address per their SNAP or TANF case if the school record information is not available.
If your child is new to SUN Bucks, an EBT card will be mailed to your mailing address via USPS at the time the SUN Bucks benefit issuance is requested. An approval notice will be mailed out to the mailing address to inform you of the application approval and benefit issuance. Please allow 1-2 weeks for the card to be delivered to your mailing address.
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) or the "Contact Us" button at https://sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov to report their change of address.
If your child is a foster child, all SUN Bucks mail 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.

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?

No, but please read the notice 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) or the "Contact Us" button at https://sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov

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 2024 period that is open till August 4, 2024. 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) or the "Contact Us" button at https://sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov.

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 they 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. Applications with reported income for the entire household of less than the State minimum wage on a part-time basis may be contacted for additional information.

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 if submitting by paper application. For applying online contact the SUN Bucks Customer Service toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT(7328) or the "Contact Us" button at https://sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov if you have any questions about the online application process.

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 to download the paper application. Contact the SUN Bucks Customer Service toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT(7328) or the "Contact Us" button at https://sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov if you have any questions about the online application process.

Non-Discrimination Statement

This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly. In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. 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: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, 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:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.