SUN Bucks

SUN Bucks is a seasonal food benefit program. The program is for children eligible for free and reduced school meals who do not have access to school meals during the summer months. Each child is eligible for $120 in food benefits for summer 2026.

There are three pathways to determine eligibility for SUN Bucks:

1. Streamline certification: these children will be automatically enrolled by the Department of Family Services (DFS). 

• • Children of any age with an approved, individual free and reduced-price meal application through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); and
  • Children of compulsory school age (ages 7-16) participating in an approved means-tested program, which includes:
    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
    • Personal Opportunities with Employment Responsibilities (POWER)
    • Children’s Health Insurance Program (Kid Care CHIP)
    • Medicaid

2. Direct certification: these children will be automatically enrolled by DFS AFTER we have checked school enrollment records.

• • Non-compulsory school-aged children (those younger than 7 or 16 and older) who are both participating in an approved means-tested program AND enrolled and attending an NSLP-participating school.

Children enrolled through streamline certification and direct certification will receive a SUN Bucks card in the mail.

3. Family applies for SUN Bucks: families with children who are not enrolled through streamline certification or direct certification can apply for SUN Bucks. These children will be enrolled if they meet the income and school enrollment requirements.

• • The application portal is not available at this time. Please check back or sign up to receive notification when the portal is active.
  • Household income must be below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) AND the student must be enrolled and attending an NSLP-participating school. See the FPL table on this web page under the Frequently Asked Question toggle, “What are the income eligibility guidelines for applications?”

Exceptions

Not all schools in Wyoming participate in National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Not all schools who participate in NSLP take individual student applications.

For example, community eligibility provision (CEP) schools feed all students free meals and are prohibited from taking individual NSLP applications. Students at CEP schools who are income-qualified but not identified through streamline certification or direct certification may need to apply.

Some schools run their own free and reduced-price meal programs that are not affiliated with NSLP.

If you are unsure if your child’s school participates in NSLP, please contact your child’s school or the Wyoming Department of Education, National School Lunch Program.

Household income must be below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or $59,478 for a family of four. Federal income eligibility guidelines are updated July 1 of each year.

The table below summarizes the income eligibility guidelines effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This table will be updated with the new income eligibility guidelines on July 1, 2026. We will use the income eligibility guidelines in effect on the date the application is submitted to determine eligibility.

SUN Bucks Income Eligibility Guidelines (185% FPL), Effective July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026

Most children will be automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks.

• If your child already has an approved free and reduced school meals application, you DO NOT need to complete another application.
• If your child does not have an approved free and reduced school meals application, but may be eligible, you will need to apply. Application information will be posted to this SUN Bucks web page as soon as it is available.
  

We don’t have this information yet, but we will share this information as soon as possible. Information will be updated on this web page. You may also sign up to receive updates via email by clicking here. By signing up, you will be the first to know when the online portal goes live!

No. Families always have a choice. When the program launches there will be an opt-out process for families automatically enrolled who choose not to participate.

• An electronic benefit transfer (EBT) SUN Bucks card will be mailed to you. The SUN Bucks card will come with information on how to activate and use the card. If you have multiple eligible children in your household, then you will receive one SUN Bucks card per child. 
• For households currently on SNAP, SUN Bucks benefits will NOT be loaded to your SNAP EBT card; SUN Bucks benefits will come on a separate SUN Bucks card.

SUN Bucks cards can be used at any authorized SNAP retailer, including online retailers. Use the SNAP Retailer Locator to locate nearby SNAP-authorized retailers by entering a street address, city, and state, or zip code.

SUN Bucks is subject to the same purchasing restrictions as SNAP benefits in Wyoming. SUN Bucks can be used to buy:

• • Fruits & vegetables;
  • Meat, poultry, & fish;
  • Dairy products;
  • Breads & cereals;
  • Other foods, such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and
  • Seeds and plants that produce food for the household.

SUN Bucks CANNOT be used to purchase:

• • Beer, wine, liquor, or other alcoholic beverages;
  • Cigarettes or tobacco products;
  • Vitamins, medicines, or supplements;
  • Live animals;
  • Foods that are hot at the point of sale (such as hot food from the deli counter); and,
  • Any nonfood items such as pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, hygiene items, cosmetics, etc.

SUN Bucks and summer feeding sites go together like peanut butter and jelly - they work together to feed children.

Summer feeding sites are a site-based nutrition program administered by the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE). Children can go to specific locations at certain hours to eat or pick up a meal. Not all counties have a summer feeding site available.

SUN Bucks is a child-based nutrition program where families can shop for food at their preferred time and location using an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, similar to a debit card.

Summer feeding sites and SUN Bucks are complementary. Compared to summer feeding sites, SUN Bucks provide flexibility and choice of where and when to shop, especially for rural families who may be unable to access a summer feeding site. Children can use both programs - summer feeding sites and SUN Bucks - to fill their plates with nutritious meals this summer.