Summer EBT is not available in Florida. The state has declined to join the federal SUN Bucks program every year since it launched in 2024, and as of early 2026 the USDA still lists Florida among roughly a dozen non-participating states. That means Florida households cannot apply for or receive the $120-per-child summer grocery benefit, no matter how they would otherwise qualify. Free summer food for kids is still available in Florida, but it comes through a different program.
Florida’s Status and Why It Matters
SUN Bucks, formally the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program, became a permanent federal program in summer 2024 under Section 13A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. States and tribal organizations can elect to participate. The law does not require them to.
Florida has never opted in. It missed both the initial and final USDA deadlines for the 2025 program year, and for 2026 it remains in the “not participating” category on the USDA’s official tracker, alongside states such as Texas, Idaho, and Indiana. Because the decision rests with state officials submitting a plan of operations to USDA, Florida’s status could change in a later year, but nothing in the file indicates that is imminent.
In participating states, SUN Bucks delivers $120 per eligible child per summer, loaded onto an EBT card and spendable on groceries under the same rules as SNAP. Children already receiving SNAP or TANF are enrolled automatically. Florida families see none of that money.
What Florida Offers Instead: Summer BreakSpot
Florida runs Summer BreakSpot, a federally funded program that provides free meals to children 18 and under at designated sites during the summer. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services administers it in partnership with schools, community organizations, and local sponsors.
The structure is different from SUN Bucks in a way that matters day to day. Instead of money on a card to buy groceries, children eat prepared meals on-site during set hours. There is no application and no income verification. Any child 18 or younger can walk up and eat at no cost. Sites include schools, churches, community centers, parks, and libraries.
The trade-off is transportation. A child or a parent has to get to a site during serving hours, which is a real barrier for rural families or anyone without reliable transportation. SUN Bucks would let a family buy groceries at stores they already visit. Summer BreakSpot is still the most widely accessible free summer food option for Florida children.
Finding a Summer Meal Site Near You
The USDA’s Summer Meals Site Finder at fns.usda.gov/sfsp/sitefinder lets you search by address or ZIP code and shows each site’s hours, meals served, and location. You can also call the USDA’s national hunger hotline at 1-866-348-6479 for help locating a site or connecting with other food help. Florida’s state-specific information is at summerbreakspot.org, though site details for a given summer are usually posted closer to when schools let out.
Other Food Assistance Available in Florida
If your household needs help beyond the summer months, several federal programs operate in Florida year-round.
- SNAP. Florida participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. You can apply through the MyACCESS portal at myflfamilies.com. Monthly benefits are based on household size and income, and the amounts are substantially larger than the $120 summer benefit.
- Free and reduced-price school meals. Children at participating schools can receive free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch during the school year.
- WIC. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children serves pregnant and postpartum women and children up to age five with specific food packages and nutrition support.
- Community food banks. Feeding Florida coordinates a network of food banks across the state that distribute groceries directly to families, with no government application required.
Immigration Status and Food Benefits
Families sometimes hold back from applying for food help out of concern about immigration consequences. Under the federal public charge rule that took effect in December 2022, food benefits such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC are not considered in public charge determinations by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Only cash assistance for income maintenance and long-term government-funded institutional care are counted under that framework. A proposed rule change was published in November 2025 that could alter which benefits are considered, but as of early 2026 the 2022 rule remains in effect. Under current rules, receiving food assistance does not jeopardize a green card or visa application.
If Florida Ever Joins SUN Bucks
Nothing in federal law prevents Florida from participating in a future year. State officials would need to submit a plan of operations to the USDA by the applicable deadline; the agency generally sets at least two deadline windows each year for states to commit. If Florida signs on, families already receiving SNAP or TANF would most likely be enrolled automatically without doing anything, because that is how participating states handle the bulk of their caseload. Households not on those programs would need to watch for announcements from the Florida Department of Children and Families about how to apply. Until then, the practical answer for Florida families is Summer BreakSpot for the summer, and SNAP, WIC, school meals, and local food banks the rest of the year.