SUN BUCKS PROGRAM RETURNING FOR SUMMER 2026: Program Helps Bridge Summer Nutrition Gap for Keiki

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 26, 2026

HONOLULU - The Department of Human Services (DHS) is announcing the return of the SUN Bucks program for Summer 2026. The online application is now open. DHS is administering the benefit in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (DOE) to support school-aged children during the summer months.

Summer EBT, also called SUN Bucks, is a program that began in Summer 2024 to provide benefits to households with school-aged children to purchase food during the summer months. Households will receive $189 for each qualifying child. Eligibility must be established annually.

"Access to nutritious meals shouldn't end when school lets out," said First Lady Jaime Kanani Green. "For many families, summer can be a challenging time to ensure their children have enough to eat. The SUN Bucks program continues to be a powerful tool in helping fight childhood hunger and ensuring our keiki have the nutrition they need to play, learn and grow throughout the summer."

"We are grateful for First Lady Green's continued leadership in supporting this critical effort," said DHS Acting Director Joseph Campos II. "Through our partnership with the Department of Education, the SUN Bucks program will again help provide healthy meals to more than 90,000 school-aged children statewide and help ensure no child goes hungry during the summer months."

Who automatically qualifies for SUN Bucks?

(No application required)

School-aged children are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks if:

• The child was part of a household that participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) during any month from July 1, 2025, through August 2, 2026; or
• The child was 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 participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the household applied for and was approved for free or reduced-price school meals; or
• The child attended Head Start or another pre-K program participating in NSLP through a qualifying school.

Who needs to complete a SUN Bucks application?

A SUN Bucks application (available now through August 2, 2026) may be required for:

• Households with children attending Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools where all meals are provided at no cost, who did not apply for or were not approved for free or reduced-price meals, but whose income fell within the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.
• Households with children attending National School Lunch Program (NSLP) schools who were not approved for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, but whose current income meets the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.

Note: Households approved for Summer 2025 benefits between July 1-August 3, 2025, do not need to submit a new application for Summer 2026; the previous application will be used.

For more information, frequently asked questions or to begin an application, visit the SUN Bucks website at sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov.

For questions about the application process, contact SUN Bucks Customer Service toll-free at 1-888-975-SEBT (7328).

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Media Contact:

Jerron Oyama

Communications Specialist

Department of Human Services

Phone: 808-586-4892

Email: [email protected]