SUN Bucks

SUN Bucks is an income-based food support program that provides families with $120 per eligible school-aged child to buy groceries when school is out for the summer. Most eligible children are automatically enrolled. When children no longer receive free meals at school, their households might need extra help putting food on the table. The SUN Bucks program is designed to meet this seasonal need. 

Qualifications are determined and the benefits are distributed by the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

For In-Person Students:

Students must meet the following requirements to qualify for SUN Bucks:

• Enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).

• Qualifies for free or reduced eligibility*.

*Free or reduced eligibility is not determined by whether your student receives free meals at school.  A student must either be directly certified for free or reduced eligibility or must qualify for free or reduced eligibility based on a submitted Application for Educational Benefits.

For Online Students:

Only Online School students who also participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) are eligible to receive SUN Bucks. In some but not all cases, students who participate in Medicaid may also receive SUN Bucks.  Additionally, online students who are certified as foster or homeless will also qualify for benefits.

For students who already qualify for free or reduced eligibility:

• Ensure that household contact information is up-to-date in Campus, including parent or guardian name, address and phone number.  Contact your child's school if updates are needed.

For students whose family did not complete an Application for Educational Benefits:

• Complete an Application for Educational Benefits on the Campus parent portal or by contacting the Nutrition Services team to request a paper copy (nutritionservices@isd761.org or 507-444-8616). Only free or reduced students qualify for SUN Bucks benefits.
• Ensure that household contact information is up-to-date in Campus, including parent or guardian name, address and phone number.  Contact your child's school if updates are needed.

For students who qualified for paid eligibility:

• Based on the information provided on your household's Application for Educational Benefits, your student currently does not qualify for SUN Bucks (S-EBT) benefits.  You are encouraged to complete a new application if your household income has decreased or your household size has increased since you completed your application, and to see if your student(s) now qualify for SUN Bucks benefits.

• Ensure that household contact information is up-to-date in Campus, including parent or guardian name, address and phone number.  Contact your child's school if updates are needed.

Many children will receive their SUN Bucks cards in late May/early June, including all those who are: 

• Enrolled in Minnesota Family Investment Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Medical Assistance (must meet income requirements) or in foster care before March 30, 2026. 

Some children will receive their SUN Bucks cards June through September, including: 

• Children who have an approved application for free and reduced-price school meals 
• Homeless and migrant children 
• Children who are enrolled on or after April 1 in the Minnesota Family Investment Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Medical Assistance (must meet income requirements) 
• Children who are placed in foster care after April 1 

Cards for eligible students in the same household may arrive on different days.  Some reasons for this may include but are not limited to eligible student data being uploaded to the state on different days, delays in processing SUN Bucks cards at the State and/or delays in USPS mail delivery.  

To check on the:

• status of your Application for Educational Benefits, contact the Nutrition Services office at 507-444-8616.
  • When leaving a voicemail message or email, be sure to include;
    • Parent/guardian name
    • Phone number
    • Address
    • Child's full name
    • Child's birthdate
• status of your SUN Bucks, contact the Minnesota SUN Bucks hotline at 651-431-4608