On August 8, 2024, Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, Department of Education Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, USDA Food and Nutrition Service Policy Advisor, Alberto Gonzalez, Jr. and partners from the City of Harrisburg, Feeding Pennsylvania, and Central Pennsylvania Food Bank visited a Harrisburg Summer Food Service location to highlight the SUN Bucks program, a new summer benefit for children that can be used to purchase fresh food and groceries at retailers around Pennsylvania.

This federal program provides households with children who already receive free and reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program during the school year with a SNAP-like benefit to purchase food for the summer months when school is not in session. Because this is the first year of the program, benefits will start to be issued beginning in mid-August for Summer 2024. All 2024 SUN Bucks benefits will be issued by the end of October. Most eligible children will receive the benefit automatically and do not need to apply, but households who need to apply must apply by August 31, 2024. Families can use the Sun Bucks Eligibility Navigator to see if they need to complete an application.

Click here for more information and to apply.