When class is in session, Maine’s students receive free breakfast and lunch to keep them energized and focused. In the summer, to help bridge the gap when school is out, the state offers programs to help ensure children have access to nutritious food.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Family Independence, in partnership with the Maine Department of Education, announced in a news release on Wednesday the return of the federally funded, state-administered summer SUN programs.

They include SUN Bucks, which provides eligible school-aged children with a $120 grocery benefit loaded onto an EBT card to be used at any retailer, grocer or market that accepts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; SUN Meals, which offers free meals to those 18 and younger at sites statewide; and SUN Meals To-Go, which provides pickup and delivery options.

By Friday, families will receive the SUN Bucks on their EBT cards, according to the news release, with an estimated $10.2 million pouring into households. Families new to federal food assistance will receive a preloaded EBT card in the mail.

OFI Director Ian Yaffe praised the program, which he said launched in 2024 after successful pandemic EBT programs and has become a game changer in the fight against hunger. A 2025 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Administration showed that SUN Bucks has decreased child food insecurity by one-third nationwide. 

The program intervenes at a critical moment when Mainers are feeling the weight of rising food prices and cost of living, said Anna Korsen, co-executive director at Full Plates Full Potential, a food advocacy organization in Brunswick. 

“Families are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Having that added grocery benefit is absolutely critical,” Korsen said. “SNAP and SUN is this beautiful partnership where a family can access all benefits in one place.”

Yaffe said the state has worked to make access as straightforward and easy as possible. 

About 85,000 children will be eligible for SUN Bucks this year, according to the news release. Families will automatically receive the benefit if they have children who attend a school that serves National School Lunch Program meals and if they participate in programs such as SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, if the families are experiencing homelessness, participating in migrant education programs or receiving MaineCare with a household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level.

About 99% of households that participated were automatically enrolled in the first two years of the SUN Bucks program, according to the news release.

SUN Bucks can be used at any retailer that accepts SNAP EBT, including grocery stores and farmers markets, for foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats and whole grains. 

Families that have not received benefits by Friday but believe they may qualify can apply online through My Maine Connection or by mail. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 15, and benefits expire approximately four months after they are issued.

For families in rural areas, where distance and transportation can make reaching a central meal site difficult, SUN Meals To-Go offers pickup and delivery options. Maine’s high share of rural residents participating in SNAP makes the To-Go option a critical piece of the program’s reach, Yaffe said.

A location finder for summer meal sites is expected to be updated with Maine-specific information by mid-June, according to the news release.

The program announcement also stressed the importance of nutritious food to support the learning and growth of Maine’s youth.

“When you provide parents with a benefit that they can use to buy healthy food, they go buy healthy food with it,” Yaffe said. “These parents make healthy choices for their kids.” 

The FNA reports that summer grocery benefits lead to more whole grain, dairy and produce, and fewer sugary drinks in children’s diets. 

Yaffe also highlighted how the economic impact of the programs extends into the community. A 2025 study from the USDA’s Economic Research Service shows that each dollar in federal nutrition assistance generates $1.54 in economic activity.

For families that receive a new EBT card in the mail, the card must be activated within 45 days of receipt. Families who need a replacement card can visit pinetreecard.com or call 800-477-7428.