05/20/2026
The [State of Florida](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02xry) does not participate in the federal Summer EBT program (also known as SUN Bucks). Florida officials declined to enroll in this nationwide program, stating that existing state-level nutrition initiatives are sufficient and citing concerns over federal implementation requirements. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Because Florida opted out, eligible families in the state will not receive the $120 per-child grocery benefit provided by the federal government during the summer months. [1, 3]
# # Alternative Summer Food Resources in Florida
Since federal Summer EBT is unavailable, families looking for meal assistance during the summer can utilize the following alternative food programs across the state: [1, 3, 5, 6]
* Summer BreakSpot: This is Florida's primary alternative for feeding school-aged children when classes are out. The program provides free meals and snacks to children 18 and under at thousands of local sites like schools, parks, libraries, and community centers. You can locate a site near you by visiting the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Summer BreakSpot Site closer to summer break or texting "Food" to 304-304.
* Local Feeding America Food Banks: Regional food networks run targeted mobile pantries, backpack programs, and summer distributions for families. Key networks in Florida include:
* Feeding Northeast Florida (serving Bradford, Duval, Alachua, and surrounding counties)
* Feeding South Florida
* Feeding Tampa Bay
* Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
* WIC and Standard SNAP: Regular SNAP benefits and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program remain unaffected by the Summer EBT opt-out. If your family's financial circumstances have changed, you can check eligibility or file a new application through the [Florida Department of Children and Families ACCESS Portal](https://www.myflfamilies.com/). [7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
[1] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLcDFndPbv0)
[2] [https://www.feedingamerica.org](https://www.feedingamerica.org/need-help-find-food/summer-EBT)
[3] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRXKZ-H_NJ4)
[4] [https://jaxtoday.org](https://jaxtoday.org/2025/01/28/askjaxtdy-food-aid-children/)
[5] [https://frac.org](https://frac.org/summer-ebt/families)
[6] [https://disabilityrightsflorida.org](https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/newsroom/story/Summer_EBT)
[7] [https://floridaimpact.org](https://floridaimpact.org/keep-kids-fed-and-thriving-this-summer-with-summer-breakspot/)
[8] [https://www.summerbreakspot.org](https://www.summerbreakspot.org/find-location/)
[9] [https://www.summerbreakspot.org](https://www.summerbreakspot.org/about/)
[10] [https://www.rdvpediatrics.com](https://www.rdvpediatrics.com/family-resources.html)
[11] [https://www.cfpublic.org](https://www.cfpublic.org/text/education/2025-06-17/heres-where-students-can-get-free-lunch-in-central-florida-this-summer)
Central Florida Public Media Here’s where students can get free lunch in Central Florida this summer June 17, 2025 at 9:16 AM EDT School is out for summer and for parents of students who worry about food costs for their children, there could be a place in their district that can help. Listed below...
