Key Takeaways:
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched the “SUN Programs: USDA’s Summer Nutrition Programs for Kids.”
- SUN Programs offer SUN Bucks, SUN Meals, and SUN Meals To-Go to improve summer nutrition security.
- SUN Bucks provides a $120 grocery benefit per eligible child to reduce child hunger and improve eating habits.
- SUN Meals offers in-person meal services at various community locations, while SUN Meals To-Go provides pick-up and delivery options in rural areas.
- These initiatives support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases by 2030.
USDA Launches SUN Programs to Improve Summer Nutrition for Kids
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the launch of “SUN Programs: USDA’s Summer Nutrition Programs for Kids,” a comprehensive initiative designed to enhance nutrition security for children during the summer months. This suite of programs aims to provide families with more choices and convenient ways to access summer nutrition support for their children and teens through new SUN Bucks, SUN Meals, and the previously launched SUN Meals To-Go.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the initiative: “President Biden’s investment in high-quality, nutritious school meals creates healthier, brighter futures for kids across America, and USDA’s SUN Programs give families more ways than ever to support their kids’ nutritional needs.”
Addressing Summer Nutrition Gaps
On an average school day, nearly 30 million children participate in USDA’s breakfast and lunch programs. However, many children lose access to these vital meals when school is out. The USDA’s SUN Programs aim to bridge this gap by offering a variety of options for families to access the essential nutrition children conveniently need to thrive, learn, and grow during summer and beyond.
Vilsack emphasized, “USDA’s SUN Programs offer more options for families to access the essential nutrition children conveniently need to thrive, learn, and grow during summer and beyond.”
Introducing SUN Bucks
SUN Bucks, the new Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) program, provides a grocery benefit of $120 per eligible school-aged child this summer. The benefit value will be adjusted annually for inflation and is higher outside the contiguous 48 states. This initiative helps families and caregivers expand their summer grocery budget to buy foods that best fit their family’s needs, cultural traditions, and preferences.
Research indicates that such summer grocery benefits can reduce child hunger by 33% and improve eating patterns, with increased consumption of whole grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables among participating households. This summer, many states, including the District of Columbia, all U.S. territories, and some tribal nations, are partnering with USDA to make SUN Bucks available in their communities. About 21 million children are expected to benefit from SUN Bucks this summer.
SUN Bucks can be used at various grocery stores and food retailers, supplementing other food benefits families may already receive, such as SNAP, WIC, and FDPIR. Families with eligible children currently receiving SNAP and other benefits will automatically be enrolled in SUN Bucks, while others will need to apply each year.
Expanding Meal Services with SUN Meals and SUN Meals To-Go
In addition to the new grocery benefit, SUN Programs also provide nutritious meal and snack services during the summer months to kids 18 and under in communities with high poverty rates throughout the U.S. SUN Meals, an in-person summer meals program, has been available since 1968 and is offered at schools, parks, community centers, and other neighborhood locations. These meals are often provided alongside enrichment activities to support children’s healthy growth and development.
SUN Meals To-Go, launched in 2023, offers pick-up and delivery options in some rural areas where SUN Meals are unavailable. This program ensures that children in remote locations can still access nutritious meals during summer.
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small commented on the initiative: “It’s heartening to see Congress’s bipartisan action to help ensure no child goes hungry during the summer months. President Biden’s investment in high-quality, nutritious school meals creates healthier, brighter futures for kids across America. USDA’s SUN Programs give families more ways than ever to support their kids’ nutritional needs.”
Supporting National Nutrition Goals
These nutrition programs advance the goals of the Biden-Harris Administration’s national strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related disease by 2030, set forth at the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022. The SUN Programs are critical in ensuring that children across the country have access to the nutritious food they need, even when school is not in session.
