A new program will help households with school-age children buy food during the summer when school meals aren’t available, with the application period now open.

Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer — also known as SUN Bucks — was launched by the state Department of Human Services in collaboration with the state Department of Education. The program will disburse $177 for each qualifying child to be spent during the period mirroring the DOE’s summer break, June 1 through Aug. 4.

The new and permanent program is funded by both the state, which is contributing $1.95 million, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is kicking in $17.7 million, for a total of over $19.5 million.

DHS projects the program will aid over 100,000 children age 6 to 17.

“Families who rely on healthy school breakfast and lunch for their children often have a difficult time accessing healthy food during the summer,” Hawaii first lady Jaime Green said in a statement. “The SUN Bucks program provides meaningful action to tackle childhood hunger and to help our keiki to play, learn, grow and be healthy during the summer months.”

SUN Bucks can be used at any store where EBT benefits are accepted. The cards can be used only to buy nutritious groceries, including fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish, dairy products, breads and cereals, and snack foods and nonalcoholic drinks.

There is no minimum dollar amount per transaction and no limit on the number of transactions. Unused benefits expire 122 days after issued and cannot be reloaded.

While some students eligible for Pandemic EBT won’t qualify for SUN Bucks, many will be automatically approved. Unlike P-EBT, some families must apply for SUN Bucks.

Homeschool families that received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families any time from July 1, 2023, through Aug. 4 of this year, or who have a foster child, also are eligible for SUN Bucks.

Eligibility must be established annually.

Students are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks without needing to apply if:

>> Their household participated in SNAP or TANF between July 1, 2023, and Aug. 4, 2024.

>> They are identified as a foster child, homeless, a migrant or runaway by their school.

>> They attended a school offering the National School Lunch Program and their household applied for and received free or reduced- price school meals. Exceptions include Head Start and other pre-K students who attended an NSLP- participating school.

For automatically qualifying students, SUN Bucks cards pre-loaded with $177 will be mailed out starting July 16, with delivery expected within one to two weeks to the address based on school records or SNAP/TANF information.

Other households must complete a SUN Bucks application if:

>> The children are attending a school under the Community Eligibility Provision, where all meals are free for students who did not apply for or were not approved for free or reduced-price school meals, and whose household income falls within or below the federal income eligibility guidelines.

>> The children are attending a school under the NSLP who were not approved for free or reduced meals during the school year but might now be eligible because their household income falls within or below the federal income eligibility guidelines.

For households deemed eligible, pre-loaded SUN Bucks cards will be mailed starting July 17, and the next business day after approval for subsequent applications received and approved through Aug. 4. Delivery might take one to two weeks.

The federal income eligibility guidelines and more information on SUN Bucks can be found at human services.hawaii.gov.