Louisiana DCFS: Summer EBT will be available for children

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services announced on Monday, May 6 that Summer EBT will be available for school-aged children in the state.

On Wednesday, May 1, DCFS said they would submit a notice of intent to the United States Department of Agriculture to participate in the Summer EBT program.

Louisiana will participate in the SUN Bucks program, which “provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer,” DCFS said.

“We have been working with our federal partners and fellow agency leaders to finalize plans and timelines,” said DCFS Secretary David Matlock. “The degree of collaboration has been tremendous, and we thank them for their support and assistance through this process.”

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What to know about SUN Bucks eligibility

According to the agency, eligible children will get a single payment of $120 for the summer with benefits being issued in three phases starting in June.

Eligible families will receive their SUN Bucks automatically, DCFS said. SUN Bucks must be used within 122 days from the date benefits are issued.

DCFS said you will receive them automatically if you got SNAP or FITAP benefits during this school year, have a child receiving Medicaid or have “children who applied and were individually approved to receive free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program.”

“We do expect a large percentage of eligible children will receive benefits in time for summer,” said Aly Rau, Assistant Secretary of Family Support. “The SUN Bucks program, along with the other federal nutrition programs like SUN Meals (the Summer Food Service Program), will provide Louisiana students with access to nutritious meals during the summer months.”

Click here for more information from DCFS about eligibility and how to apply.

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