A brand new program will assist households with school-aged kids buy meals throughout the summer time when college meals will not be accessible; the applying interval is now open.
The state Division of Human Companies, in collaboration with the state Division of Schooling, launched the Summer time Digital Advantages Switch (SUN Bucks) as a part of this system. This system will disburse $177 per eligible little one, to be spent throughout the interval that displays the DOE’s summer time break, June 1 by Aug. four.
The brand new, everlasting program is funded by each the state, which contributes $1.95 million, and the U.S. Division of Agriculture, which contributes $17.7 million, for a complete of greater than $19.5 million.
DHS tasks this system will attain greater than 100,000 kids ages 6 to 17.
“Households who depend on wholesome college breakfasts and lunches for his or her kids usually wrestle to entry wholesome meals throughout the summer time,” Hawaii First Woman Jaime Inexperienced stated in an announcement. “The SUN Bucks program gives significant motion to fight childhood starvation and assist our keiki play, study, develop and be wholesome throughout the summer time months.”
SUN Bucks can be utilized at any retailer the place EBT advantages are accepted. The playing cards can solely be used to buy nutritious meals, resembling vegetables and fruit, meat, poultry and fish, dairy merchandise, breads and cereals, and snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.
There isn’t any minimal greenback quantity per transaction and no restrict on the variety of transactions. Unused advantages expire 122 days after they’re issued and can’t be reloaded.
Whereas some college students who qualify for P-EBT won’t qualify for SUN Bucks, many might be robotically permitted. Not like P-EBT, some households should apply for SUN Bucks.
Homeschooling households who obtained Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP) or Momentary Help for Needy Households (TAF) advantages anytime between July 1, 2023, and August four, 2023, or who’ve a foster little one, are additionally eligible to obtain SUN Bucks.
Eligibility have to be established yearly.
College students are robotically eligible to obtain SUN Bucks without having to use if:
>> Your family participated in SNAP or TANF between July 1, 2023 and August four, 2024.
>> They’re recognized by their college as foster kids, homeless, migrants or runaways.
>> They attended a college that supplied the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Program and their household utilized for and obtained free or reduced-price college meals. Exceptions embody Head Begin and different preschool college students who attended a collaborating NSLP college.
For college kids who robotically qualify, SUN Bucks playing cards preloaded with $177 might be mailed starting July 16, with supply anticipated inside one to 2 weeks to the handle primarily based on college data or SNAP/TANF data.
Different households should full a SUN Bucks utility if:
>> Youngsters attend a college below the Neighborhood Eligibility Provision, the place all meals are free to college students who didn’t apply or weren’t permitted without spending a dime or reduced-price college meals, and whose family earnings is at or beneath the federal earnings eligibility tips.
>> Youngsters attend a college below the NSLP and weren’t permitted without spending a dime or reduced-price meals throughout the college 12 months, however could now be eligible as a result of their family earnings is at or beneath federal earnings eligibility tips.
For households deemed eligible, pre-loaded SUN Bucks playing cards might be mailed starting July 17 and the following enterprise day after approval for subsequent purposes obtained and permitted by August four. Supply could take one to 2 weeks.
Federal earnings eligibility tips and extra details about SUN Bucks will be discovered at human providers.hawaii.gov.