SUMMER EBT (Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer)
What is the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (SUN Bucks) Program?
The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program, or SUN Bucks provides food assistance to households with school-age children who are eligible for free or reduced-priced school meals during the summer, when they don't have access to meals at school. The benefit is $120 per eligible school-aged child. Each eligible child will receive a Summer EBT card loaded with SUN Bucks (SUN Bucks) benefits.
This program is a partnership between the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, and the USDA, Food and Nutrition Services.
If your child is certified as eligible for federal free or federal reduced-price school meals and attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, they will be automatically enrolled in Summer EBT.
Additionally, eligibility for Summer EBT may be established in several other ways. In ND, your child is eligible to receive a Summer EBT card if your child’s school participates in the National School Lunch Program AND:
- Your child receives free meals at school AND your household income is at or under 185% of the 2023-2024 federal poverty level (see table below); or
- You applied for School Meals through your school district AND your household income is at or under 185% of the 2023-2024 federal poverty level (see table below); or
- Your household participates in SNAP or TANF; or
- Your child is experiencing homelessness, a migrant, or in foster care; or
- Your child attends a Head Start program administered by the school district.
If your child’s school does not participate in the National School Lunch Program, they may still be eligible for Summer EBT if your household participates in SNAP or TANF or your child is in foster care.
Summer EBT Eligibility by Family Size & Income Table
Effective: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024)
Family Size | Annual | Monthly | Twice-Monthly | Bi-Weekly | Weekly |
1 | $26,973 | $2,248 | $1,124 | $1,038 | $519 |
2 | $36,482 | $3,041 | $1,521 | $1,404 | $702 |
3 | $45,991 | $3,833 | $1,917 | $1,769 | $885 |
4 | $55,500 | $4,625 | $2,313 | $2,135 | $1,068 |
5 | $65,009 | $5,418 | $2,709 | $2,501 | $1,251 |
6 | $74,518 | $6,210 | $3,105 | $2,867 | $1,434 |
7 | $84,027 | $7,003 | $3,502 | $3,232 | $1,616 |
8 | $93,536 | $7,795 | $3,898 | $3,598 | $1,799 |
For Each Additional Family Member, Add: | +$9,509 | +$793 | +$397 | +$366 | +$183 |
Please view the following flowcharts for more information:
DO NOT COMPLETE AN APPLICATION IF:
· If your child’s school participates in the National School Lunch Program in the 2023-2024 School Year AND:
o Your child receives free meals at school, AND your household income is at or under 185% of the 2023-2024 federal poverty level, or
o Your household receives SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR benefits, or
o Your child is experiencing homelessness, is a migrant student or is in foster care.
· If your child does not attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program, but your household receives SNAP or TANF benefits, AND your child is between the ages of 7 and 16.
If your household meets any of the conditions above, you have already been confirmed to receive Summer EBT Benefits and should have received an email in the month of April alerting you of the benefit and giving you a Unique Access Link to the Summer EBT Portal.
If you have not received an email and you believe your child is eligible, as described above, please contact us.
COMPLETE AN APPLICATION ONLY IF:
· Your child does not receive free school meals:
If your child is not already directly certified or categorically eligible, and you did not complete and return an application for free school meals to your child’s school, you are encouraged to submit the Alternate Meals Application below to see if you qualify for the Summer EBT benefit.
· Your child attends a school that provides free meals for every student in the school:
If your child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school and is not directly certified or categorically eligible, you are encouraged to submit an Alternate Meals Application below to see if you qualify for the Summer EBT benefit.
[SUMMER EBT ALTERNATIVE APPLICATION]
STOP, READ ABOVE, You May Not Need to Apply!
Applications will open on April 24, 2024
[Fair Hearing Procedure]
A one-time SUN Bucks benefit amount of $120 will be issued to each eligible child. The benefits will be placed on a SUN Bucks Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
Please check back for updates on when Summer EBT cards will start being issued.
Summer EBT benefits expire and are removed 122 days from issuance. Once benefits are removed from an EBT card, they cannot be replaced.
Yes, households can receive replacement benefits if it is reported that food purchased with SUN Bucks benefits were destroyed in a household misfortune or disaster. To request a replacement the household would need to fully complete the Request for Replacement Benefits Due to Loss of SNAP Benefits.
Submit your request by:
Email: ndsebt@nd.gov
Phone: 701.328.7328 (711, TTY)
Mail: DPI Attn: SEBT 600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 201 Bismarck ND 58505
Activation instructions will be included with the card.
Cards are accepted at SNAP authorized food retailers. A list of authorized food retailers can be found at https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator.
A mobile app for managing your account, ebtEDGE, is available Apple Store and Google Play.
For more information visit the EBT webpage.
Replacement cards can be requested via the EBT Helpline (800.630.4655), cardholder portal, or the mobile application on a smartphone.
See the chart below to find out who to contact for more information:
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT: | WHO DO I CONTACT? |
|
ebtEDGE Mobile App Contact www.ebtEDGE.com 1-800-630-4655 |
| Visit the Summer EBT Portal Contact NDSEBT@nd.gov 1-701-328-7328 |
| Contact NDSEBT@nd.gov |
Please check back for updates on Additional FAQ's.
Find Summer Meals for Kids
The Meals for Kids Site Finder was developed by USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) to help children, parents, and others quickly and easily find summer meal sites near them. The site finder, available for use at no charge, is a web-based application that also works on tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices without the need to download. Go to www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids to find meal sites in your area.
No Kid Hungry has also developed a resource for children, parents, and others to find summer meal sites near them. Go to www.nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals and enter your address to find free, healthy meals served by community organizations. Families can also find meal sites near them by texting the word FOOD to 877-877. Data and message rates may apply.
Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications
- Online Applications - Your school may offer online applications for your convenience.
USDA is responsible for providing a safety net for millions of food-insecure Americans and developing and promoting dietary guidance based on scientific evidence. USDA works to increase food security and reduce hunger by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education in a way that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence. USDA provides critical nutrition assistance through Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) programs that include child nutrition programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and emergency food assistance, among many other programs.
Child Nutrition Programs
Child Nutrition Programs administered by FNS provide healthy food to children through programs that include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
During summer months, USDA works with community sponsors to serve millions of meals to low-income children through the Summer Food Service Program. This program helps fight hunger and obesity by reimbursing organizations such as schools, childcare centers, and after-school programs to provide children with healthy meals.
Household Food Distribution Programs
USDA administers many other programs to strengthen the nutrition safety net. For example, the FNS Food Distribution Programs distribute USDA-purchased food to school children and low-income families, emergency feeding programs, Indian reservations, and the elderly. USDA purchases a variety of food products in support of the National School Lunch Program and other federal feeding programs. These purchases help to stabilize prices in agricultural commodity markets by balancing supply and demand. In North Dakota, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and Tribal entities, operate food programs that decrease food insecurity and allow for increased food access and resources.
Commodity Supplemental Food Program
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) works to improve the health of low-income elderly people at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods. It provides food and administrative funds to States to supplement the diets of this group. CSFP food packages do not provide a complete diet but are rather good sources of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of the target population. CSFP is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture agency. An average of more than 594,000 people each month participated in the program in fiscal year (FY) 2012, including more than 576,000 elderly people.
In North Dakota, CSFP is administered locally by 3 Community Action Agencies, 1 Food Bank & 1 local Non-Profit Organization. Over 2,000 North Dakota residents receive food from the CSFP Program each year. To apply for the CSFP program, complete the CSFP APPLICATION and mail, email, or drop off at the local agency servicing the county where you reside.
Community Action Partnership in Dickinson/Williston Regions
202 East Villard
Dickinson ND 58601
Phone: (701) 227-0131 Toll Free: (800) 359-2243 Fax: (701) 227-4750
120 Washington Ave
Williston ND 58801
Phone: (701) 572-8191 Toll Free: (877) 572-8191 Fax: (701) 572-8192
Counties Served Listed:
Dunn, Billings, Golden Valley, Stark, Hettinger, Slope, Bowman, Adams
Williams, Divide, McKenzie
Red River Valley Community Action Agency
1013 N 5th Street
Grand Forks ND 58203
Phone: (701) 746-5431 Toll Free: (800) 450-1823 Fax: (701) 746-0406
Counties Served:
Nelson, Pembina, Walsh, Grand Forks
Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Agency
3233 South University Drive
Fargo ND 58104-6221
Phone: (701) 232-2452 Toll Free: (800) 726-7960 Fax: (701) 298-3115
Counties Served:
Cass, Ransom, Sargent, Richland, Steele, Trail
Great Plains Food Bank
1720 3rd Ave North
Fargo ND 58102
Phone: (701) 232-6219 Fax: (701) 232-3871
1315 South 20th Street
Bismarck ND 58504
Phone: (701) 751-6188
Counties Served:
Barnes, Bottineau, Burke, Burleigh, Dickey, Emmons, Foster, Grant, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McHenry, McIntosh, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Pierce, Renville, Rolette, Sheridan, Sioux, Stutsman, Ward, Wells
https://www.greatplainsfoodbank.org/
Hope Center
313 3rd Street NE
Devils Lake, ND 58301
Phone: (701) 665-4673
Counties Served:
Ramsey, Eddy, Towner, Benson, Cavalier
The Emergency Food Assistance Programs
Under Construction. Please check back later for updates.
The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Under Construction. Please check back later for updates.