Maryland’s SUN Bucks program helped over 580,000 kids overcome summer hunger.
As reported by Maryland Matters, this past summer, Maryland families received much-needed support through the SUN Bucks program. The program is a federally funded initiative to tackle the “summer hunger gap” when school-aged children lose access to free breakfast and lunch provided during the school year. SUN Bucks gave families $40 per month per eligible child to help cover the cost of groceries. The program is built upon the Summer SNAP program, expanding participation six-fold without requiring local government matching funds.
From Maryland Matters:
“Maryland was leaving a lot of money on the table, especially federal opportunities. Maryland SUN Bucks is a perfect example of that … In this case, over $70 million in grocery-buying benefits for Marylanders in all 24 jurisdictions,” said Maryland Human Services Secretary Rafael López.
The federal program automatically enrolls families who are already participating in other food assistance programs like SNAP or Medicaid. This streamlined approach helped the program exceed its target by more than 40,000 kids.
In regions like Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore, the number of kids served increased dramatically. Prince George’s County saw the highest enrollment, with 110,130 children receiving $13 million in benefits. Baltimore County and Montgomery County each distributed over $10 million to families, while Baltimore City families received $9.2 million.
In a press release from the Office of Governor Wes Moore, Governor Moore announced that the expanded Maryland SUN Bucks program fed over 586,000 children during its first year. Administered by the Maryland Department of Human Services, the program issued $70.59 million in federally-funded grocery benefits from June to August 2024—marking the largest state investment to combat summer childhood hunger in Maryland’s history.
For more information about the Maryland SUN Bucks program, click here.
Read the article from Maryland Matters.