RICHMOND, Va. — Thousands of Virginia families with school-aged children are eligible to receive a one-time benefit this month to help supplement their child’s diet during the summer months.
“I think it’s really important to try to find those 140,000 kids,” Cassie Edner, a public benefits attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, said.
Edner and the Virginia Poverty Law Center are working to alert families about a new federal benefit called “SUN Bucks. ”
SUN Bucks can be used on fruit, vegetables, dairy, and meat.
“The last day to apply is August 30. So there’s a very, very narrow timeframe when people can actually apply. So, it’s important to get the words out,” Edner said.
Virginia , along with the majority of states, are partnering with the federal government to provide a $120 payment starting Thursday to support the diets of school-aged kids in low-income households.
“A lot of times, during the summer months when kids are out of school, they don’t have those school lunches and breakfasts that they’re normally received. So there is more hunger in those summer months,” Edner said.