ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Kids will be out of school soon, and the state wants to help the students who depend on the breakfast and lunch they receive during the school year.

The state is bringing back Sun Bucks. Eligible families will get a summer EBT card with $120 per child to help with food.

This will be the second year for the program. In 2024, they sent out around 175,000 cards.

State leaders say they have worked out the issues from 2024 and have a reminder for parents.

“I think it’s important that once you get the card, to hold onto the card because it will continue to be good in the ongoing years as we issue that. The cards are issued to the eldest child. So, if the eldest child moves out of the household or graduates, they would need to request a new card and that would be issued to the next eldest child,” said Marisa Vigil, senior deputy director of New Mexico Health Care Authority’s Income Support Division. 

Folks can apply for Sun Bucks as long as your child is part of the National School Lunch Program. This applies to kids between the ages of 5 and 18. They will automatically be enrolled if your kids are already part of SNAP and if they receive Medicaid, or if their school has identified them as homeless, migrant, runaway or as a foster kid.