Washington’s SUN Bucks program provided additional food benefits to nearly 600,000 children during the summer of 2024, the first year of the new program. SUN Bucks provides eligible school-aged children with $120 in food benefits to purchase groceries during the summer when free and reduced-price meals are unavailable at school. This amount will be adjusted annually for inflation.
If you received SUN Bucks during summer 2024, your benefits may expire if you don’t use them within 122 days of issuance. You can check your card balance by calling the number on the back of your card, visiting ebtEDGE.com, or using the ebtEDGE mobile app. Winco is one of the retailers that accepts EBT, making it easy to use your SUN Bucks benefits.
Sign up for text messaging to receive notifications about SUN Bucks updates, benefit details, important reminders, and answers to questions.
You can also call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 (TTY: 800-833-6348) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays).
SUN Bucks is an ongoing program that provides grocery benefits to eligible families with school-aged children during the summer months when school is out of session. Benefits are issued on a personalized EBT card that families can use to purchase nutritious food during the summer. You can use your Winco EBT card for convenient account management and shopping.
Most children are automatically enrolled without needing to apply if they:
- Attend a school that offers the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program AND are individually approved for free or reduced-price meals at school OR
- Are 8-18 years old and a member of a household receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or State-Funded Assistance.
Students not automatically enrolled may be eligible by submitting a SUN Bucks application if they:
- Attend a school participating in the NSLP or SBP AND
- Live in a household with an income that meets the NSLP Income Eligibility Guidelines to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
The SUN Bucks application is currently open for families who wish to apply. Applications submitted at this time will be considered for SUN Bucks in 2025. Using your Winco EBT card online will make this process quicker and more convenient.
If you are unable to submit an application online, you can print and mail a completed SUN Bucks Application (Form 14-554) to DSHS Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 11669, Tacoma, WA 98411-6699. Submitting a paper application will slow down the process and may be denied if information is missing or incomplete.
Once eligibility is determined, each eligible child will receive an approval letter. A dedicated SUN Bucks card will arrive approximately 7 to 10 business days later. You can use this card at Winco and many other stores that accept EBT.
The SUN Bucks card will be mailed to the address on file with DSHS or at the child’s school, or the address listed on the application. Families should ensure their address is accurate in both locations.
If you wish to decline receiving SUN Bucks benefits, simply destroy the SUN Bucks card and it will expire after 122 days from the date of issuance.
SUN Bucks benefits can be used at any authorized retailer nationwide that accepts EBT, including at participating farmers markets, for unprocessed items: fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, breads and cereals, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, seeds and plants that produce food. Winco is one of the many locations where you can use your EBT card.
SUN Bucks benefits are not subject to Public Charge rules. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and qualify for SUN Bucks. Applying for or receiving SUN Bucks will NOT affect your child’s or your family’s immigration status.
