Does your child qualify for free or reduced lunch? A new federal program promises $120 in extra summer grocery money

Sometime this summer, an unspecified number of low income families with school aged children will be eligible for free grocery money.

The money will come from a new pilot program called Sun Bucks that’s administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and it promises an extra $120 per child for any eligible families with school-aged children.

Families who already receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations will automatically be enrolled into the Sun Bucks program.

Students who attend a school that offers the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program can also qualify for the grocery money program as long as their household income is eligible for free or reduced school lunch, according to the USDA website.

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Those who aren’t placed into the program automatically can still apply for the program through the Virginia Department of Social Services beginning July 1. The program’s website is not yet live, but anyone interested can keep up with the program by checking the USDA or the Virginia Department of Social Services website.

The money can be used in most grocery stores, convenience stories, farmer’s markets and online shops, according to the USDA website.

The Sun Bucks is one of three summer programs that aim to feed children during the summer break. There is also the Sun Meals and Sun Meals To-Go program, in which school aged students can get free meals from schools and other participating locations. Any kid, regardless of income, can receive a free meal.

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