Illinois is participating in a nationwide Summer Electronic Benefit Program (EBT) to provide financial help for qualifying families to pay for groceries in the summer months. McHenry District 156 students who have participated in the free or reduced lunch program this year automatically qualify.
This U.S. Department of Agriculture program, called Summer EBT/SUN Bucks, is designed to reduce childhood hunger by providing eligible families with a grocery benefit to feed their students during the summer months when students are not receiving meals at school. SUN Bucks 2025 will provide a one-time $120 benefit for each eligible school-aged child.
If you are not automatically enrolled and believe your children are eligible, you can apply to receive SUN Bucks by filling out an application. Households can apply through the Summer EBT Portal at https://abe.illinois.gov/access/ and by clicking on “Check if I Should Apply for Summer EBT.”
Applications for Summer EBT can also be mailed to the IDHS Central Scan Unit (CSU), P.O. Box 19138, Springfield, IL 62794 or submitted in person, mail, or fax to the local Family Community Resource Center (FCRC). Links to the application in English and Spanish can be found below.
Please note: You must download the documents below, then open using Adobe Reader or Acrobat to fill it out.
Application for Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
Solicitud De Transferencia Electrónica de Beneficios de Verano (EBT de Verano)
To learn more, visit the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Summer EBT website at: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=163478