RICHMOND, VA (June 15, 2026) — The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) will be participating in SUN Bucks 2026, a summer grocery benefit designed to prevent child hunger during the months when school meals are unavailable. Beginning June 29, eligible children will receive a one-time $120 summer grocery benefit to help families keep nutritious food on the table.

This work directly supports the Governor’s commitment to building an Affordable Virginia, especially as families continue to face increasing food prices. SUN Bucks provides families with meaningful relief at a time when household budgets are often stretched thin.

Approximately 85 percent of eligible children will receive SUN Bucks automatically, without needing to complete an application. For the remaining families, VDSS has launched a new online application to make it faster and easier to apply and ensure every eligible child receives support. A short eligibility quiz is available at VirginiaSunBucks.com to help families understand if they qualify, if their child will be automatically enrolled, and if they should apply.

How Families Receive SUN Bucks

• Families already enrolled in SNAP will receive their benefit on their existing EBT card.
• All other enrolled families will receive a new Virginia SUN Bucks card in the mail, sent to the address on file with their school or local department of social services.

VDSS encourages families to confirm their mailing address to prevent delays in benefit delivery.

“Preventing summer hunger is critical to ensuring children are healthy, safe and ready to learn,” said VDSS Commissioner Duke Storen. “Last year, more than 650,000 Virginia children received SUN Bucks, and this year we are committed to reaching every eligible child. No child in Virginia should go hungry — especially during the summer months when support is needed most.”

Research consistently shows that addressing summer hunger leads to better health outcomes and helps reduce summer learning loss, preventing children from falling behind when school resumes.

Who Is Automatically Eligible?

Children are automatically enrolled if they:

• Are school-age and already participate in SNAP, TANF or income-based Medicaid (with certain Medicaid categories qualifying); or
• Applied and were approved for free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch during the 2025-2026 school year.

Who Should Apply

Families should check their eligibility if their children are not automatically eligible based on the criteria above, especially if your child does NOT participate in SNAP, TANF, or income-based Medicaid. A short eligibility quiz is available at VirginiaSunBucks.com to help families understand if they are eligible and need to apply.

Three Ways to Apply

• Online: com
• Mail: Download and mail a paper application
• Phone: Call the SUN Bucks Call Center at 866-513-1414 (June 15 – August 31, Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

The deadline to apply for SUN Bucks 2026 is August 31, 2026. Households have about four months to use the funds loaded onto their EBT or Virginia SUN Bucks cards after benefits are issued; any unused funds will expire after that period. SUN Bucks benefits can be used anywhere SNAP benefits are accepted.

A Call to Action for Schools, Community Organizations and Local Governments

VDSS urges all Virginia schools, community partners and local governments to actively promote SUN Bucks and help ensure that every eligible child is reached. By sharing information, assisting families with applications, and encouraging participation, these partners play a vital role in preventing summer hunger and supporting the well-being of Virginia children. Community Partner Resources are available here.

VDSS’s Commitment

In partnership with the Virginia Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, VDSS remains firmly committed to ensuring no child goes hungry in Virginia. Families and partners can find more information, FAQs and application guidance at VirginiaSunBucks.com.

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About the Virginia Department of Social Services

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), one of the Commonwealth’s largest government agencies, is comprised of approximately 2,000 state staff who proudly serve alongside more than 10,000 employees of 120 local departments of social services and community action agencies to deliver critical social services to Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens. VDSS is committed to ensuring Virginians have access to the high-quality human services and resources needed to enhance their individual and collective well-being, and shape strong futures for themselves, their families and communities. The agency provides a wide range of services and resources in the areas of food and energy assistance, foster care and adoption, child support, and abuse and neglect prevention, among others. For more information, visit dss.virginia.gov.