Courtesy of Cuyahoga Job and Family Services
Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (S-EBT), also known as SUN Bucks, is a summer assistance program for children that began in Summer 2024. S-EBT provides grocery benefits to low-income school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer. Eligible children will receive a one-time benefit of $120 that can be used to buy food during the summer months at grocery stores, farmers markets and other authorized retailers. All children between the ages of 6 to 18 (must be at least 6 and no older than 18 on August 15, 2025) participating in one or more of the following assistance programs (on or after July 1, 2024) will receive Summer EBT automatically with no need to apply.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Ohio Works First (OWF)
- Medicaid (if income meets USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines for current program year)
- Children of any age enrolled in a school participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) that are approved for free or reduced-price meals for school year 2024-2025
Children who qualify for the S-EBT program will receive benefits in one of three ways:
- Households that currently receive SNAP benefits will see benefits for each eligible child issued on their Ohio Direction Card.
- Households that do not currently receive SNAP benefits but received Summer EBT benefits in Summer 2024 will receive benefits on their existing S-EBT card.
- Households that do not currently receive SNAP benefits or are newly eligible will receive a new S-EBT card in the mail for each approved child. The card will be in a plain white envelope and addressed to the child. Households should keep S-EBT cards to potentially receive future summer benefits.
S-EBT funds will expire 122 days after the benefit is issued. If the benefit is loaded on the Ohio Direction Card, the S-EBT benefit will be used first the next time the card is used. Summer EBT benefits are set to be issued later this month. To learn more about S-EBT please visit https://sebt.ohio.gov