FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2025
Media Contact:
Lillian Price, Press Secretary
Email: lillian.price@maryland.gov
Phone: 443-965-1265
Maryland SUN Bucks Return for Summer 2025
BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) announces the return of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, known as Maryland SUN Bucks, from June through August 2025.
Maryland SUN Bucks puts groceries on the table for families with students during the summer break when school meals are unavailable. Last summer, Maryland issued $72 million in SUN Bucks benefits to feed over 605,000 students, marking the largest investment in combating childhood hunger during the summer months in state history.
The majority of students who are eligible for Maryland SUN Bucks will be directly certified, meaning that they do not need to apply and will automatically receive the benefit. For those students whose families are not automatically enrolled and need to apply, the application is simple. To learn more about eligibility and apply, visit dhs.maryland.gov/sunbucks.
“While the federal government proposes more than $1 trillion in cuts that would take food off the dinner tables of Maryland families, we continue our vital work to combat childhood poverty,”
says Secretary Rafael López. “As of June 18th, 579,751 students have received $23,190,040 in SUN Bucks benefits without having to apply. This investment in fighting childhood hunger is a model of government that prioritizes families and leaves no one behind.”
Students already receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) are automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks. They will receive an additional $40 per student on their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards from June to August — a total of $120 per student. Students who receive free or reduced-price lunch, receive Medicaid, or are in out-of-home care were also automatically enrolled and will receive the same benefit amount on a separate white SUN Bucks card issued for each eligible student.
Families are now receiving benefits directly on their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards or via a Maryland SUN Bucks card for students who are automatically enrolled, and as applications are approved throughout the summer months. The program is federally funded, with Maryland covering half of the administrative costs.
mRelief
As part of our proactive effort to expand access to benefits, we have partnered with mRelief, a nationally recognized civic tech organization, to launch an outreach campaign aimed at helping eligible SUN Bucks households enroll in SNAP. This partnership connects more families with ongoing, long-term nutrition benefits for which they may already be eligible.
mRelief will send targeted text messages directly to parents or guardians of SUN Bucks recipients, encouraging them to visit mymdthink.maryland.gov to check their potential eligibility for SNAP and other benefits. On this website, households can complete an eligibility screener in less than five minutes and may apply for SNAP directly.
About the Maryland Department of Human Services
The Maryland Department of Human Services is the state’s primary social services provider, serving more than one million Marylanders annually. Through its programs — including food assistance, cash support, child welfare, and energy assistance — we work to strengthen Maryland’s families and communities.
About mRelief
mRelief is a nonprofit organization that uses technology to help people access public assistance programs with dignity and ease. To date, mRelief has helped Americans unlock more than $2 billion in public benefits by developing accessible, mobile-first tools. In collaboration with their network of over 200 community-based organizations across the country, they are revolutionizing the way people access public services.
###
