Mail Call: New SUN Bucks Cards Landing In North Carolina Mailboxes This Summer

Keep an eye on the mailbox, North Carolina. State health officials say new SUN Bucks cards, the one-time Summer EBT benefit for eligible children, are hitting mail routes in stages this month and next. Each card arrives preloaded with this summer's benefit and can be used like a regular EBT card at most grocery stores and participating farmers markets. Officials are asking families to hold off on requesting replacement cards unless a card is actually lost, stolen, or damaged, so the system does not get jammed up and slow everyone down.

When Cards Are Arriving

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports that the first round of issuances became available starting June 1, 2026, with cards mailed out and the majority expected to arrive by June 15. Delivery of all cards could still take up to eight weeks. According to the department, this first issuance reached more than 1 million children, and each eligible family will receive a new 2026 SUN Bucks card preloaded with $120 per eligible child. You can read the full statement from NCDHHS.

How The Benefit Works This Summer

SUN Bucks offers a one-time $120 grocery benefit per qualifying child to help cover food costs when school meals are off the table for summer. The program is a joint effort of the USDA, NCDHHS, and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. Many children are enrolled automatically if they receive SNAP, Medicaid, or free or reduced-price school meals, while other households can apply through the state's SUN Bucks application.

The N.C. Department of Public Instruction and community partners have posted guides and school-based resources to walk families through the process. Background on prior rollouts is available from N.C. DPI and reporting that over 1 million North Carolina children benefited.

What Families Should Do Now

Before you ask for a replacement card, officials say to double check the mailing address the state has on file. NCDHHS notes that all eligible families will receive new SUN Bucks cards at the address on record and that the quickest way to update that address is to call the SUN Bucks call center at 1-866-719-0141 and select option 2. Ordering a replacement card cancels the original, so families are urged to request a new one only if the card is lost, stolen, or damaged.

Households can track benefit availability and balances through their ebtEDGE account, and there is a deadline to keep in mind: SUN Bucks benefits expire 122 days after issuance. Program guidance and FAQs are posted on the NCDHHS SUN Bucks webpage.

State officials have been repeating the same points online. In a post on X on June 11, 2026, NCDHHS reminded families that cards will be mailed in stages through June and July and that additional benefits for approved applicants will roll out throughout the summer. The agency again stressed that replacement requests should be limited to cards that are lost, stolen, or damaged, and directed households to the call center and the ebtEDGE portal to check on status. Read the agency's social notice on X.

If a few weeks go by and no card shows up, families are advised to log in to their ebtEDGE account to check the benefit availability date and then contact their county Department of Social Services or the SUN Bucks call center for help. Schools, local food banks, and statewide partners can often assist with eligibility questions and applications during the summer. For program background and local resources, families can talk with school officials or their county DSS office.