Indiana Opts Out of Federal Summer Food Program, Leaving 669,000 Kids Without SUN Bucks in 2025

By Kelly RobertsPublished: 4:53 PM EDT May 7, 2025 Updated: 5:32 PM EDT May 7 - Hoosier Enquirer

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has decided to withdraw from SUN Bucks, a federal program designed to provide nutritional support to children from low-income families during the summer months, leaving approximately 669,000 eligible Hoosier children without the benefit in 2025.

SUN Bucks, administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), offers $120 per child per month to families whose children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. In 2024, the program supported 669,000 children across Indiana. However, the state will not participate in 2025, according to a letter from the deputy director of the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), dated Feb. 20, 2025, and posted on the Indiana Department of Education’s website. The letter, submitted five days after the USDA’s Feb. 15 deadline for program plans, did not rule out participation in future years.

The decision has raised concerns among advocates for food security. Kate Howe, executive director of the Indy Hunger Network, warned that the absence of SUN Bucks will exacerbate food insecurity and increase pressure on local food pantries. “If meal sites aren’t available or accessible, we’ll see more families turning to food pantries for groceries because they can’t afford the food they need,” Howe said. “Even working families often don’t earn a living wage, making it hard to cover all their expenses.”

Families seeking alternative meal options can use the USDA’s Site Finder Map or contact the Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) for English or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) for Spanish, available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.

Indiana’s withdrawal from SUN Bucks comes at a time when food insecurity remains a pressing issue for many Hoosier families, prompting questions about the state’s strategy to address child hunger in the absence of this federal support.