In 2024, Florida officials chose not to participate in the SUN Bucks program (also known as the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program or Summer EBT), even though the program would have provided over 2 million hungry children in the state with roughly $259 million in federal food assistance.
SUN Bucks provides each eligible child a total of $120 (or $40 per month) in grocery assistance during the summer, when school is out, to supplement summer meal programs. The program is specifically designed to work jointly with other food assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Summer BreakSpot, to put food children’s plates during the summer. In a past demonstration project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), SUN Bucks was proven to reduce hunger and support healthier diets of children by increasing consumption of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables — and decreasing consumption of sugary beverages.
Although children of all races and ethnicities are affected by Florida’s decision to forgo SUN Bucks, Black and Latina/o children are twice as likely to experience food insecurity compared to their counterparts.