Summer SNAP: How EBT helps families get extra assistance during break

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients receive monthly payments to their EBT cards for basic food and grocery necessities. But as the summer approaches and children finish school, SNAP is introducing a new program to give an additional boost for families facing increased costs as they have to prepare more meals with their kids at home.

During the months of July and August, Summer EBT or SUN Bucks, as the program is called, will provide extra money to households with children to buy groceries. Here's what you should know about the initiative:

How much will I receive for SNAP's Summer EBT?

Families with eligible school-aged children can get $120 per child to buy groceries during the summer.

How do I qualify for SNAP's Summer EBT?

Families can receive SUN Bucks on top of other benefits like SNAP and WIC, and children can continue to receive free SUN Meals from local meal sites or with SUN Meals To-Go.

The requirements to qualify for SUN Bucks are:

• Your child is school-age and your household already participates in benefits like SNAP, FDPIR or TANF
• Your child attends a school that offers the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program, and your household income meets the requirements for free or reduced-price school meals.

If you meet these requirements, you are automatically enrolled in the program. But if that's not the case, interested families can apply for SUN Bucks directly through the program's website or contacting your child's school district.