Ohio families are starting to see SUN Bucks hit their accounts this summer, a one-time $120 grocery benefit per eligible child that is meant to help cover food costs while school is out. Applications are open now through Aug. 14, and many households are being enrolled automatically based on existing benefit records or school-meal approvals.
State officials say families who received a Sun Bucks card in 2025 will have their 2026 benefit loaded onto that same card, and new recipients will be mailed a plain white benefit card. The idea is to keep groceries coming when school breakfasts and lunches are off the table for a few months.
Who’s Eligible and How to Apply
According to sebt.ohio.gov, children ages 6 to 18 who were on SNAP, Ohio Works First (OWF), or Medicaid on or after July 1, 2025, are generally automatically eligible. Students approved for free or reduced-price meals at schools participating in the National School Lunch Program are also covered.
Households that do not meet those automatic criteria can submit an application through the state’s online portal, which stays open through Aug. 14. The state site also offers tools to check income eligibility, monitor application status, and see available funds once a household is approved.
How the Money Gets to Families
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Matt Damschroder said the state is beginning distribution of the benefit this month. Households on SNAP will see the $120 per child loaded to their Ohio Direction Card on the family’s regular SNAP distribution date, while other approved families will receive mailed Sun Bucks cards.
"Last year, we provided $124 million in food assistance to over 1 million Ohio children," Damschroder noted, and officials expect most benefits to roll out in batches over the coming weeks. Local coverage of the state announcement summarized the distribution timeline and the plan to load funds onto existing cards for prior recipients. The Tribune Chronicle reported the details from the state release.
Program Scale, Federal Funding and Card Safety
SUN Bucks is part of the federal Summer EBT effort administered in participating states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service explains that the program provides $120 per eligible school-age child, and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service notes that states run the program locally under FNS guidance.
Ohio’s FAQ page reminds families that Summer EBT funds expire 122 days after issuance and that newly issued cards default to a "Block High-Risk Transactions" setting to help reduce fraud. Families can manage PINs and temporary card locks through the ConnectEBT app or by calling the card helpline. sebt.ohio.gov provides step-by-step instructions and phone numbers for activation, replacement, and fraud reporting.
What Families Should Do Now
Parents who think their children may be eligible should first check whether a card has already been mailed or whether the household was auto-enrolled, and can confirm eligibility with their child’s school or county Job and Family Services office. If a household did not get an automatic issuance, they should apply through the state portal before the Aug. 14 deadline and hold on to any Summer EBT card for future summers. The card helpline can assist if a replacement is needed.
For more on the rollout and local reporting, see Cleveland.com’s coverage of the program.
