California grocery aid of $120 per child is expiring

California’s SUN Bucks program is nearing its end for families who received the benefit this summer. Each eligible child received an electronic benefits card loaded with $120 for groceries. The cards were intended to help cover food costs while school was out, when California’s public K-12 students do not receive their usual school meals.

Eligibility included children approved for free or reduced-price school lunch, or children in households enrolled in programs such as Medi-Cal or CalFresh. California mailed cards to families of 3.8 million children, but nearly $106 million remains unused. Only households that received a card can use these funds, and the balance must be spent within 122 days after delivery.

The expiration timing differs because the cards went out in batches. A mid-June delivery may leave only a few weeks, while cards sent in late July run out in mid-November. That rolling schedule means eligible Simi Valley families may lose grocery support at different points this fall. Last year, $118 million in summer food benefits went unused, and almost one in five mailed cards was never activated. Households that also receive CalFresh are urged by Social Services spokesperson Jason Montiel to spend SUN Bucks before using those benefits because SUN Bucks expire sooner.