Families who qualify for Maryland Sun Bucks receive $40 per child each month in the summer. Last year, 630,000 Maryland students qualified for Sun Bucks. (Photo by Lance Cheung courtesy of USDA)
Maryland families struggling to put food on the table can receive a monthly boost in food assistance dollars this summer, as Maryland Sun Bucks kicks off for the third year to help alleviate the “hunger gap” that occurs when schools close.
Gov. Wes Moore hopes to build on last year’s success, when 630,000 Maryland students qualified for Sun Bucks, equating to $75 million in benefits.
“This program has been a critical lifeline for families to bring food to their table,” Moore said in a statement Monday. “No child should ever go hungry, and the success of Sun Bucks has brought that goal closer to reality, ensuring students have access to essential meals to thrive in the summertime.”
Lower-income families across the state often rely on schools to help feed their children breakfast or lunch. But those meals are less available during the summer when schools close.
That’s why Maryland joins 38 other states participating in the federal summer grocery benefit program aimed at low-income families. Sun Bucks provide those households with an additional $40 per month per child on their food assistance cards to help afford groceries from June through August.
Most kids who qualify for Sun Bucks will be automatically enrolled due to their family’s participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Cash Assistance, Medicaid and similar programs. The additional grocery benefit will drop directly into the household’s electronic benefits card.
Those who are not enrolled in those programs can check in with the Maryland Department of Human Services to see if their families qualify for the summer benefit.
“We want to ensure that summer can be a season of fun and growth for our children,” said Maryland’s Department for Human Services’ Acting Secretary Stacy L. Rodgers in a written statement. “Sun Bucks helps reduce concerns about access to nutritious food and meals.”
Originally published at Marylandmatters.Org