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USDA Announces SUN Bucks 2025 Benefit Levels for Tribal Programs 

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USDA Announces SUN Bucks 2025 Benefit Levels for Tribal Programs 

Mar 17, 2025 | Agricultural Research, Featured Article, News, Policy Analysis, Press Release, Publications

USDA Announces SUN Bucks 2025 Benefit Levels for Tribal Programs 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced 2025 benefit levels for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) for Children Program would remain unchanged. 

Also known as Summer Grocery Benefit for Kids – or SUN Bucks – the program offers funds for grocery purchases to American families with eligible school-aged children. Families can get $120 per child to buy groceries during the summer when school meal programs may be unavailable.   

According to USDA, five Oklahoma Tribal Nations will issue 2025 SUN Bucks to all eligible children residing in their respective Tribal jurisdictions, even if the child is not a Tribal citizen. 

Those Tribes planning to participate are: 

  • Cherokee Nation 
  • Chickasaw Nation 
  • Choctaw Nation 
  • Muscogee Nation 
  • Otoe-Missouria Tribe 

For children already enrolled in federal nutrition programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), they will be automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks if it’s available in that area. 

Families can receive SUN Bucks on top of other benefits like SNAP and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).   

These benefits are determined based on the monthly Thrifty Food Plan cost for a reference family of four and are effective from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025.  

SUN Bucks can buy fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish, dairy products, breads and cereals, snack foods and non-alcoholic drinks. They cannot buy hot foods, pet foods, cleaning or household supplies, personal hygiene items or medicine.  

For more information about the participating Tribal programs, please contact their staff at the below points of contact.  

Cherokee Nation 

  • Hotline: 539-234-3265 or 800-256-0671 ext. 5720 
  • Email: sebtc@cherokee.org 

 

Chickasaw Nation 

  • Hotline: 844-256-3467 or 580-272-1178 
  • Email: SEBTC@chickasaw.net 

 

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma 

 

Muscogee Creek Nation 

  • Hotline: 918-213-4855 
  • Email: help@oksebt.org 

 

Otoe-Missouria Tribe 

  • Hotline: 580-723-4466  

If you are a Tribe interested in learning more about SUN Bucks, please visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunbucks to learn more.