The new school year is just getting started, but families can still take advantage of a new federal program to support students K-12 during the summer who may otherwise rely on meals at school and eliminate the burden of families having to stretch their grocery budgets.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture rolled out SUN Bucks earlier this year and it is administered in New Mexico by the Health Care Authority. Parents can still enroll through August 15.
Children in New Mexico face food insecurity at higher rates compared to the rest of the nation with about 1 in 5 kids at risk of hunger.
Director of the Income Support Division, Niki Kozlowski said, when a child is experiencing hunger there are several effects in both behavioral and learning outcomes.
“Having a healthy diet throughout the summer, we believe will help them thrive especially as they go back into the school arena” said Kozlowski.
Each eligible child in the household will receive $120 onto a new SUN Bucks EBT card under the oldest child’s name.
The first distribution of SUN Bucks went out the first week of August and the Health Care Authority estimates that they reached about 275,000 students. Kozlowski said because this is a new program and New Mexico is one of the first states to issue this assistance, families will be covered for August and September, but next year the program will begin at the end of May.
“We’re trying to build a robust food system that will reduce hunger and improve access to healthy food across the state,” Kozlowski said.
Some families have been automatically enrolled. Others who are eligible include students who receive free or reduced meals, children who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness, or anyone who is already receiving SNAP benefits or enrolled in children’s Medicaid.
Kozlowski said that SUN Bucks do expire 122 days after receiving the funds, but families will receive a 30 day reminder.
Parents have until August 15th to apply for the program and the next and final distribution for the summer will occur on September 3rd.
This coverage is made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners.
