Phase 2 SUN Bucks Benefits Start Going Out This Week

BATON ROUGE, LA - Following the successful rollout of Phase 1 of SUN Bucks, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services will begin issuing Phase 2 benefits this week. Phase 2 will be rolled out in waves based on eligibility groups over the next several weeks, impacting around 320,000 Louisiana school-aged children. Eligible students include those who received Medicaid, Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP), or Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) benefits during the 2023-2024 school year, as well as children who qualified for free or reduced-price school meals. Each child will receive a one-time payment of $120 loaded onto a newly issued EBT card, arriving by mail.

Phase 1 of SUN Bucks provided close to $39 million in benefits to more than 320,000 children who received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Phase 2 Benefits Distribution Details:

• Eligibility:
  • Children aged 5-18 who received Medicaid, Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP), or Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) benefits during the 2023-2024 school year.
  • Children who received free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) during the 2023-2024 school year, based on their individual household income.

• Card Issuance: Phase 2 recipients will receive new EBT cards mailed to the address on file with their respective case or school. This distribution will occur in waves based on eligibility groups (Medicaid, FITAP, KCSP, NSLP) over the next several weeks. EBT cards will be issued at a rate of about 75,000 per week. Recipients are advised to look out for plain white envelopes with an Erie, Pennsylvania, return address containing their SUN Bucks card and activation instructions. Envelopes will be addressed to the eligible child. Families with more than one child may receive their children’s cards at different times.
• Benefit Usage:SUN Bucks can be used to purchase SNAP-eligible food items at stores that accept EBT cards. The benefits must be used within 122 days from the date of issuance.
• Support and Information: A dedicated SUN Bucks helpline is available at 833-323-7482, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Families with questions or who need to update their mailing addresses can call the helpline for assistance. Questions can also be emailed to SUNBucks@la.gov

Future Phases:

• Phase 3: The application period for children not automatically certified in Phases 1 and 2 will open in late August. This phase primarily serves students at Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools, where all students received free or reduced-price school meals regardless of household income. CEP school students whose household income would qualify them for the National School Lunch Program (below 185% of federal poverty limit) are eligible to receive SUN Bucks, and if they are not certified during Phases 1 or 2, will need to apply during Phase 3. Detailed information about the application process will be available soon on the SUN Bucks website.

SUN Bucks, funded by the USDA, aims to support low-income families by providing grocery-buying benefits during the summer months when children do not receive school meals. This program is a critical part of Louisiana's effort to ensure that every child has access to nutritious food year-round.

For more information about the Louisiana SUN Bucks program and other summer feeding programs, please visit sunbucks.la.gov and the USDA SUN Programs page at www.fns.usda.gov/summer.

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SUN Bucks Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.