$120 in Free Grocery Benefits Are Coming to Louisiana Families This Week

LOUISIANA - The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has started issuing SUN Bucks this week. This is the program that provides $120 in grocery benefits to help ensure children who receive free or reduced-priced school meals get the nutrition they need when schools are closed for the summer.

Who Is Automatically Enrolled in Louisiana's SUN Bucks Program?

Children who are automatically enrolled in the program should see SUN Bucks added to their EBT card between Wednesday, May 27, and Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

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SUN Bucks will continue to be issued as applications are approved and additional children become eligible through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Family Independence Temporary Assistance (FITAP), Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP), or income-based Medicaid.

How Will You Receive Your Child's SUN Bucks Benefits?

For SNAP households and households who received SUN Bucks last summer, benefits will be added to your existing SNAP or SUN Bucks EBT card. For all other households, benefits will arrive on a preloaded EBT card in a plain white envelope addressed to your child.

How to Activate Your Child's SUN Bucks EBT Card

Activate your child's SUN Bucks card using one of the following options:

• Download the LifeInCheck app
• Call 888-997-1117
• Visit LifeInCheckEBT.com

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To activate your child’s SUN Bucks card, call the EBT customer service line at 888-997-1117 and enter the 16-digit card number. To authenticate the card, you will need the last four digits of the child’s Social Security number, the child’s date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format, and the child’s mailing address ZIP code.

Prohibited PIN Patterns for SUN Bucks EBT Cards

Please note that PINS selected with any of the below patterns are not allowed:

• Identical digits (1111, 2222, 3333, etc.)
• Consecutive digits (1234, 2345, 3456, etc.)
• Numbers that start with one or more zeros (0657, 0051, 0001, etc.)
• The last four digits of the cardholder’s Social Security number
• The cardholder’s birthdate
• The cardholder's year of birth (e.g., 1984)

How to Apply If Your Child Is Not Automatically Enrolled

If your child is not enrolled in one of these programs and you believe they would qualify based on household income or enrollment at a Community Eligibility Provision School, you will need to apply. You can do so at louisiana.summerebtapp.com.

Applications for summer 2026 are due by August 20, 2026. Any applications received after that date will be considered for summer 2027.