California Shows the Nation How to End Summer Hunger With Its Groundbreaking SUN Bucks Plan

In California, summer brings more than sunshine and beach days. For millions of children, it signals a dangerous gap in nutrition when school meals vanish. Governor Gavin Newsom’s SUN Bucks program, set to distribute $120 per eligible child starting June 2025, is a bold answer to this crisis. Over 4 million kids will receive electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, loaded with funds to buy groceries, ensuring no child faces hunger while school is out. This initiative isn’t just about food; it’s about dignity, health, and opportunity for the state’s most vulnerable.

Last year, SUN Bucks made history as one of the nation’s first statewide summer EBT programs, serving 4.3 million children and fueling nearly $500 million in food purchases. The impact was undeniable: families stretched tight budgets, local grocers thrived, and kids stayed nourished. Yet, as California leads, a shadow looms. Proposals from Washington, like those in Project 2025, threaten to slash federal food assistance, risking the progress that programs like SUN Bucks represent. The fight for child nutrition is far from won.

Summer vacation, for many, evokes carefree days. But for low-income families, it’s a nutritional dead zone. Research paints a grim picture: children consume fewer fruits and vegetables, eat more processed snacks, and face irregular meal times when school’s out. The result? Accelerated weight gain, weakened immunity, and a higher risk of developmental setbacks. In 2023, nearly 14 million U.S. children lived in food-insecure households, with 1.2% facing severe hunger that disrupted eating patterns. In Los Angeles County alone, 56% of parents with young kids reported food insecurity last year.

California’s SUN Bucks tackles this head-on. By targeting kids eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal, the program ensures aid reaches those who need it most. Automatic enrollment for foster children, homeless youth, and Head Start participants removes bureaucratic hurdles, while a simple application process catches those missed by data systems. The $120 benefit, equivalent to $40 per month, isn’t a windfall, but it’s enough to keep pantries stocked with essentials.

What sets SUN Bucks apart is its reach and ripple effect. Administered by the California Department of Social Services and Department of Education, the program leverages existing data to enroll over 4 million kids automatically. In its debut, it not only fed children but also pumped economic life into communities, with every dollar spent generating up to $1.80 in local activity. This dual impact, nutrition and economic stimulus, underscores why California’s approach is a national model.

The program aligns with broader state efforts, like the Universal Meals Program, which guarantees two free school meals daily for all public school students. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s California Farm to School initiative complements this, prioritizing locally sourced, nutritious food. Together, these efforts weave a safety net that prioritizes child health and equity, proving that systemic solutions can address systemic problems.

Not everyone sees SUN Bucks as a triumph. Some policymakers, particularly those behind proposals like Project 2025, argue for shrinking federal food assistance. They push work requirements, time limits, and block grants, claiming these foster self-reliance. But their logic falters under scrutiny. Cutting SNAP or Summer EBT doesn’t empower families; it leaves kids hungry. Studies show SNAP reduces food insecurity and improves health outcomes, with no evidence that work mandates significantly boost employment. For children, who can’t work, these policies are especially cruel.

The House’s recent budget resolutions, aiming for $1.5 trillion in federal program cuts, signal a troubling direction. Such measures prioritize fiscal austerity over human need, ignoring the long-term costs of child hunger: higher healthcare expenses, lower academic achievement, and perpetuated poverty. California’s success with SUN Bucks exposes the flaw in this thinking. Investing in kids isn’t charity; it’s a strategy for a stronger, fairer future.

California’s SUN Bucks is a beacon, but it’s not enough. Nationwide, 12 states have opted out of Summer EBT, leaving 9.5 million eligible kids without benefits and $1.1 billion in federal aid unclaimed. Even in participating states, participation barriers like transportation to summer meal sites persist. The federal government must double down, expanding Summer EBT, increasing SNAP benefits, and setting bold targets to halve child poverty within a decade. California’s model, with its streamlined enrollment and local focus, shows the way.

As threats to food assistance grow, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Every empty plate is a failure of policy and priority. SUN Bucks proves that when we commit to children’s well-being, the benefits cascade: healthier kids, stronger communities, and a more equitable society. We can’t let short-sighted cuts unravel this progress. Our kids deserve better, and California’s fight for them must inspire the nation.