New SUN Bucks cards are on the way! In an effort to ensure Virginians have access to their benefits as soon as possible, VDSS began mailing SUN Bucks 2025 cards to automatically enrolled households in the first week of July. Please note that your benefits will not become available on SUN Bucks or SNAP EBT cards until July 18, even if you receive a SUN Bucks card in the mail before that date. If you don’t receive your new card by July 18, don’t worry! Benefits will continue to be issued on a rolling basis, so households can expect to receive their SUN Bucks cards at different times.
VDSS SUN Bucks Partner Communication
Good Afternoon,
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) will begin issuing benefits through the Virginia SUN Bucks 2025 program on July 18, 2025. The program provides $120 in supplemental grocery funds to hundreds of thousands of children across the Commonwealth.
VDSS will distribute benefits initially to more than 650,000 children found automatically eligible through their participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and income-eligible Medical Assistance. Also included in this distribution are children determined eligible through an approved application for free or reduced-price meals from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
If a child is not automatically eligible for Virginia SUN Bucks and needs to apply, a paper application is available here to download, print and mail in, or applicants can contact the Virginia SUN Bucks Call Center from July 1- August 15, 2025, at 866-513-1414 to apply. The following information about the child is necessary to complete the application:
Legal name (first and last name).
Date of birth (month, date, year).
Home address.
Child’s school name.
School’s county/city division.
Student ID number (found in the school’s parent portal).
All family income (from work and other sources).
Proof of citizenship or legal status (not required).
The last four digits of their Social Security number (not required).
Children found eligible through a Virginia SUN Bucks application will be issued benefits beginning August 1, 2025. VDSS will complete distribution of all SUN Bucks benefits by the end of September 2025.
