SUN Bucks

Starting June 2026, the Rhode Island Department of Human Services will be offering SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, to eligible school-age kids. Households should expect letters to arrive in spring and early summer informing them of their child's eligibility for 2026. The SUN Bucks program is a tool in the fight against child hunger. Families with eligible school-age children will receive a one-time summer issuance of $120 per child for groceries.

Through this new program, in partnership with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, Rhode Island is helping ensure that children continue to have access to nutritious food when school is out in the summertime. 

With SUN Bucks, Rhode Island is helping children get the nutrition they need to grow and learn during the summer, helping bring More Summer Smiles to our youngest learners. 

Please be advised that if your child received benefits in 2025 on a SUN bucks card and is eligible for benefits in 2026, the benefits will be issued to the existing card. If you lost or misplaced this card, please call ebtEDGE at 1-888-979-9939 to request a new card. 

Who is Eligible?

Find out if your child qualifies for Summer EBT using this eligibility checker.

Rhode Island Summer EBT Eligibility Checker

Your child may be eligible for SUN Bucks if any one of the following criteria apply during the school year: 

• A child in your household is receiving SNAP, Rhode Island Works, or Medicaid benefits (if your household income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty level) and your child is between ages 6 – 18. *Note: some Medicaid programs do not qualify for automatic benefits and households will need to apply for S-EBT benefits.
• Your child is a foster child, homeless child, a migrant child, a child enrolled in Head Start or a runaway child.
• Your child attends a school participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) and meets the eligibility requirements for free and reduced-price school meals as determined through an NSLP/SBP application. *Note: Students who only receive free meals because their school offers meals at no cost to all students are not automatically eligible for SUN Bucks unless they are found eligible in another way. 
• Your child attends a special provision school and meets the requirements to receive free or reduced-price meal as determined through submission of an alternate income form.
• You submit an online or paper SUN Bucks application, your child was enrolled in an NSLP/SBP-participating school at any time during the school year, and your household income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. 

Enrolling in SUN Bucks

Some children will be enrolled in SUN Bucks automatically. Currently, school-age children (ages 6 – 18) receiving SNAP, RI Works, or Medicaid (if income eligible) or living in a household where a child is receiving these benefits, will automatically be issued SUN Bucks benefits at the start of summer on their EBT Card. Additionally, families that submitted a school meal benefit application or an alternate income form to their schools and were determined income-eligible for free or reduced priced school meals will also automatically receive benefits at the start of the summer on a SUN Bucks EBT card. All other families that believe they meet the income criteria for free or reduced-price school meals and whose children are or were enrolled in a school participating in the NSLP/SBP, can complete a SUN Bucks application to determine if they are eligible for the benefits. You can find the SUN Bucks application below.

When Will I receive SUN Bucks Benefits? 

SUN Bucks will begin to be issued on or around June 15, 2026. Note: SUN Bucks have already been issued for the 2024-2025 school year. The application period for school year 2024-2025 has closed.

If you have an eligible child who receives or lives with a child receiving SNAP, RI Works, Medicaid (within eligible income limit), or you have an approved school meal benefit application on file with your school, DHS will issue SUN Bucks benefits to your existing EBT card after the current school year ends. If your child received SUN Bucks in 2024 or 2025 and is eligible for 2026 benefits, the benefit will be placed on their existing SUN Bucks card. DHS is currently  accepting SUN Bucks applications for students eligible in the 2025-2026 school year for benefits that will be distributed in the summer of 2026.  If you have a newly eligible child in your household that does not have a SUN Bucks EBT card and is not receiving SNAP, RI Works or Medicaid (within eligible income limit), a SUN Bucks EBT card will be mailed to you.  

*If you lost a card and need a replacement, you can request one using the RI EBT Online Portal or by calling 1-888-979-9939. 

Online Application

The SUN Bucks application is available online for anyone who believes they meet the eligibility criteria but will not receive the benefits through the automated process. The criteria for eligibility is outlined in the FAQ document. You can also check if your child may be eligible by using the eligibility checker: Rhode Island Summer EBT Eligibility Checker To apply, households can also submit a paper application available below or apply online.   

SUN Bucks Application period for the 2025-2026 school year is open and will close at the start of the next school year.  However, submitted applications will not be reviewed until the current school year ends. SUN Bucks are only issued during the summer months.   

Important Resources

Please find additional SUN Bucks resources below. Here, you will find application forms, FAQs, and more. Please check this section frequently for updates.