New Mexico Families Can Get $120 Per Child with SUN Bucks Program – Apply Now
According to KRQE, a new federal initiative is now accepting applications to provide New Mexico families with additional funds to support their children’s nutrition during the summer months. The program, known as SUN Bucks or Summer EBT (S-EBT), offers $120 per eligible child.
Eligible families will receive the funds on a card similar to a debit or EBT card, which can be used to purchase food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and certain online retailers.
Eligibility Criteria for SUN Bucks:
Automatic Eligibility:
- Students who have received free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP).
- Students identified by their school as homeless, migrant, or in foster care.
- Students who received SNAP, MAGI-Children’s Medicaid, or TANF during the school year and are between the ages of 5 and 18.
Parents of automatically eligible students will receive notification of their child’s eligibility.
Application-Based Eligibility:
- Students must attend a school that participates in the NSLP/SBP. (A list of participating schools in New Mexico can be found here.)
- Students must not have an approved NSLP/SBP application on file with their school.
- Household income must be less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) based on NSLP income guidelines.
- The family must reside in New Mexico.
The New Mexico Human Services Department has indicated that some students will not be eligible for SUN Bucks. Those who do not qualify automatically must apply; however, if a student’s school does not participate in the NSLP/SBP, they are ineligible for the program.
SUN Bucks benefits are scheduled to be distributed starting in August 2024. Automatically eligible students will receive their benefits first, while those who apply will be part of the second issuance group. Notifications for automatically eligible children will be sent out starting mid-July.
Families will have 122 days from the issuance date to use the benefits. Any remaining balance on the card after this period will be forfeited.
For more information or to apply for SUN Bucks, click here. This program is also available in other states across the country.
