Summer is a time when many children lose the free and reduced-price meals they get at school, and when households might need a little extra help putting meals on the table. On July 1,
Governor Wes Moore announced the launch of
Maryland SUN Bucks, a new benefits program that provides families $120 to buy groceries for each eligible school-aged child during the summer. Maryland SUN Bucks is one of the largest investments Maryland has seen to help feed our children. By innovatively and seamlessly building upon Maryland’s existing state Summer SNAP program and implementing the
federal Summer EBT Program, the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) will expand its reach six-fold, from 90,500 last year to 540,000 students served each summer. Unlike previous years, families in all of Maryland’s 24 local jurisdictions are able to receive benefits. Most importantly, the program will put $60 million dollars directly into the hands of families across Maryland to spend on healthy, nutritious food. |
Help Us Spread the Word!We need your help to spread the word about Maryland SUN Bucks to schools, organizations, and families in your community. YOU are the trusted messengers in your respective communities and we appreciate your partnership.
What You Need To Know As Our Partner:Thanks to an existing partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education and the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright, more than 90% of eligible Maryland families will get these benefits automatically if they: - got free or reduced-price meals last school year,
- are 5-18 years old and their household gets Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), or Medicaid benefits, or
- are in out-of-home care.
In fact, DHS successfully issued $21.6 million in June benefits as of June 30, 2024, to over 540,000 children. For families already receiving SNAP benefits, Maryland SUN Bucks will be automatically applied to the head-of-household’s Independence Card. If a child does not receive SNAP, then a white Maryland SUN Bucks card will be issued. See sample cards below:
Participating households who receive a new card in the mail will also receive instructions for how to activate the card, setting a secure PIN number and how to keep their benefits safe. Some households will need to apply. Since soft-launching a simple, seamless, and swift
online application on MD THINK in the last few days, DHS has already received well over a thousand applications from Marylanders.
It's quick and easy to apply for Maryland SUN Bucks! Apply online or in person at a
local Department of Social Services. Marylanders must apply by August 31, 2024, to receive summer 2024 benefits. There is a dedicated team working across the entire state assigned to process these new applications. Marylanders can also call 1-800-332-6347 and select the option for Maryland SUN Bucks to learn more.
What YOU Can Do to Support Maryland SUN Bucks?We can’t do this work across the state without you. Here are 4 proactive steps YOU can take to make a difference now: - Become an ambassador of Maryland SUN Bucks. Take some time to
learn about how the program works.
- Familiarize yourself with the Frequently Asked Questions on
the SUN Bucks website.
- Share Maryland SUN Bucks
flyers.
- Spread the word by sharing DHS' social media posts on
Instagram,
Facebook,
X, and
LinkedIn.
Your partnership is invaluable and appreciated as we work together to serve the people of Maryland. |
