- Department of Transitional Assistance
- Executive Office of Health and Human Services
- Executive Office of Education
Media Contact
Julianne Lima, Director of Communications
Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration is announcing that it will be offering the summer child nutrition program for the second year in a row.
The SUN Bucks program provides grocery money to eligible low-income Massachusetts families with school-aged children in the summer months to buy food when schools are closed. The program started in June 2024 following the ending of Summer Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) and served 584,441 Massachusetts children last year.
"No child should go hungry. That’s why we made free school meals permanent across the state. But students shouldn’t miss out on healthy food just because school isn’t in session,” said Governor Maura Healey. “The SUN Bucks program has proven effective in reducing hunger during the summer while also supporting local businesses.”
“We are proud that Massachusetts is once again leading the way in ensuring that no child is hungry when school is out for the summer,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “SUN Bucks ensures children who rely on school meals will still have access to healthy food when school is out for summer break.”
“Good nutrition is a cornerstone of health, year-round,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “Programs like SUN Bucks let children focus on learning, playing and just being kids, rather than where their next meal will come from when school is closed.”
SUN Bucks compliments the Summer Eats program, which provides free meals to all kids, ages 18 and under, at locations across Massachusetts over the summer months when they no longer have access to school meals. No registration or I.D. is required. Meal sites include schools and other community locations, from parks and playgrounds to libraries. Many Summer Eats programs open before July 4 and will continue serving meals through the end of August. To find a meal site near you, visit https://projectbread.org/summer-eats-program or call Project Bread at 1-800-645-8333.
“We know that families’ grocery bills increase in the summer when kids do not have access to school meals. That’s why programs like SUN Bucks and Summer Eats are so important – working together to provide kids with healthy food whether at camp, home or the park,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.
SUN Bucks is administered by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and local school districts.
“When school ends, hunger shouldn’t start,” said DTA Commissioner Jeff McCue. “The SUN Bucks program allows us to provide targeted help to families during the summer, when the risk of food insecurity can increase dramatically.”
More information on SUN Bucks can be found online at mass.gov/SUNBucks.
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Media Contact
Department of Transitional Assistance
