By Hola Iowa
Iowa Health and Human Services says SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, provides $120 per eligible child in grocery benefits to help families buy food while school is out.
Updated July 7, 2026: Iowa HHS says SUN Bucks purchases now follow federal SNAP guidelines after USDA directed the state to return to those rules. Food items that were eligible before January 1, 2026, are allowed again.
Families in Iowa can still use SUN Bucks as a summer food benefit for eligible school-age children.
The program provides a one-time benefit of $120 per eligible child. Iowa Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) says the benefit is meant to help children have access to nutritious food during the summer months when school meals are not available.
SUN Bucks is also known as Summer EBT. Some families receive the benefit automatically, while others need to apply if their child is not automatically eligible.
Applications for SUN Bucks 2026 must be received by Iowa HHS no later than August 14, 2026.
Who can receive SUN Bucks automatically
A child may be automatically eligible if they were enrolled in grades K-12 during the 2025-2026 school year and their school participated in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), or if they are between the ages of 6 and 16 from July 1, 2025, to August 14, 2026.
In addition to meeting one of these conditions, the child must belong to a family that received SNAP or Family Investment Program (FIP), received Medicaid with income up to 185% of the federal poverty level, is in foster care, or was approved for free or reduced-price school meals.
Children approved for free or reduced-price meals through their school may also qualify, as well as children experiencing homelessness, children who are migrants, or children considered runaways under the program’s criteria.
Families that already receive SNAP do not need a separate card for SUN Bucks if the child is eligible. In those cases, the benefit will be added automatically to the existing SNAP EBT card.
When a family must fill out an application
Not all children receive SUN Bucks automatically. If a child does not meet the automatic eligibility criteria, the family may need to submit an application.
To qualify through an application, the child must have been enrolled during the 2025-2026 school year in a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the family must meet the program’s income limits.
Iowa HHS has made SUN Bucks information available through its food assistance resources. The deadline for Iowa HHS to receive applications for SUN Bucks for summer 2026 is August 14, 2026.
The SUN Bucks eligibility checker can help families see if a child may qualify, but it is not an application for benefits. Families that need to apply must still complete the official application process.
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CEP schools do not guarantee automatic benefits
Iowa HHS has clarified a point that may cause confusion for many families: attending a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school does not guarantee that a student will automatically receive SUN Bucks.
CEP schools are schools where all students receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. For SUN Bucks, the student must still meet the automatic eligibility criteria.
If the child attends a CEP school but does not meet those criteria, the family will need to complete an application for eligibility review.
Homeschooled children may also qualify, but they must meet the same eligibility criteria as other students.
How families receive $120 per child
Families participating in SNAP will automatically receive $120 for each eligible child on their SNAP EBT card.
Families that are not enrolled in SNAP will receive a SUN Bucks card for each eligible child. The card will be issued in the child’s name. Iowa HHS says automatically eligible children receive their cards between mid and late June.
To activate the card, the family must call the customer service number on the back. During this process, they will be asked for the 19-digit card number, the 5-digit ZIP code and the child’s date of birth in the 8-digit format for month, day and year.
After that, the family will need to create a 4-digit PIN. Iowa HHS recommends keeping this PIN private to protect the benefits.
Benefits expire after 122 days
SUN Bucks does not work the same way as monthly SNAP. It is a one-time summer benefit that expires 122 days after the date it is issued.
Unused benefits expire at midnight on day 122. On day 123, the balance will be $0. Iowa HHS says expired, lost or stolen benefits cannot be replaced or appealed.
If a family receives SNAP on an existing EBT card, SUN Bucks benefits will be used automatically before SNAP benefits. Iowa HHS recommends using the entire SUN Bucks balance before it expires.
If an EBT card is lost, the family should call EBT customer service at 800-359-5802.
What can be purchased with SUN Bucks
SUN Bucks follows SNAP purchasing rules. Iowa HHS says USDA directed the state to return to federal SNAP guidelines, meaning food items that were eligible before January 1, 2026, are allowed again.
Because the SUN Bucks program was already underway when the update took effect, foods that were previously eligible before the waiver will be allowed under SUN Bucks.
Stores have been instructed to make the changes as soon as possible. Iowa HHS says Double Up Food Bucks can match purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables made with SUN Bucks at participating sites.
Other food resources for children during the summer
In addition to SUN Bucks, children and teenagers aged 18 and under in Iowa can access free meals through the SUN Meals and SUN Meals To-Go programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
SUN Meals provides meals and snacks at eligible sites, while SUN Meals To-Go offers takeout meals and snacks in rural areas from participating locations.
To find a nearby site, families can call 2-1-1, or 1-866-3-HUNGRY for English assistance or 1-877-8-HAMBRE for Spanish assistance.
They can also text the phrase “summer meals” to 914-342-7744 or search for sites online at fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder.
Applications for SUN Bucks 2026 must be received by Iowa HHS no later than August 14, 2026.
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