Summer EBT
SUN Bucks help keep our kids fed
About Summer-EBT
Summer EBT (S-EBT), or SUN Bucks, is a US Department of Agriculture program that helps boost kids’ access to nutritious food during the summer months.
The number of Idahoans (including children) who did not have enough food over a one-week period rose 51% between October 2021 and June 2023, according to the Census Bureau. The cause was the expiration of the pandemic-era bump in extra assistance.
According to USDA data, 14% (one in seven) of Idaho’s children (63,917 Idaho children) were food insecure, meaning they could not afford enough food to meet their needs. Some counties have extremely high rates of food insecurity. S-EBT can help turn these numbers around for the better.
Helps Feed Our Kids
S-EBT provides families with school-aged children a modest $40 a month, maxing out at $120, on an EBT card to purchase additional food during the summer months when free and reduced school meals are not available.
Not only would S-EBT ensure 107,000 children access to nutritious food during the summer, but it also would help prevent some of the learning loss low-income children experience during the summer related to inadequate nutrition.
Benefits Idaho Businesses
Based on the number of children eligible, Idaho could expect an economic impact of $19,260,000 to $23,112,000 from S-EBT benefits in the summer of 2024.
Thus, S-EBT funds would be spent at local Idaho grocery stores and farmers markets, thereby decreasing the strain on charitable food programs, which are struggling to keep up with the skyrocketing need.
Our Advocacy Asks
Fully fund S-EBT.
The IHRTF is committed to pushing for the state of Idaho to pass SUN Bucks, previously known as Summer EBT. We are moving forward, and this will always be a part of our advocacy until no child goes to bed hungry.