约3.8万名加州儿童的SUN Bucks食品补助尚未使用 每孩120美元到账122天后过期
加州社会服务厅（CDSS）提醒，仍有大量今年夏季发放的儿童食品补助金尚未使用，临近过期。SUN Bucks（夏季EBT）计划为符合条件的学龄儿童每人提供120美元食品补助，资金直接打入专用卡中；补助到账122天后过期，5月下旬首批到账的卡已从秋季起陆续到期。
CDSS发言人贾森·蒙蒂尔（Jason Montiel）对媒体表示，截至9月21日，加州儿童的SUN Bucks卡上未使用余额合计约1.06亿美元，约3.8万名儿童的补助面临过期未用的风险。去年同样有约1.18亿美元补助因未使用而过期。蒙蒂尔指出，约五分之一的卡从未被激活，部分已参加CalFresh（加州食品券）的家庭可能没有意识到SUN Bucks是另一张需要单独使用的卡。
社会服务厅建议持有两类补助的家庭优先使用SUN Bucks，再使用CalFresh余额，以免夏季补助过期作废；卡内余额可通过卡背面的客服电话或官方电子福利应用查询。SUN Bucks面向在校学生发放，家庭收入低于联邦贫困线185%的学生及部分参加校餐减免计划的儿童自动符合资格。
$120 Summer Food Benefits for Some 38,000 California Children Near Expiration, State Says
California families still hold large amounts of unspent summer food benefits for children that are about to expire, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) warned. The SUN Bucks program (Summer EBT) loads $120 in grocery benefits per eligible school-age child onto a dedicated card; funds expire 122 days after they are issued, and the first cards loaded in late May began expiring in the fall.
CDSS spokesperson Jason Montiel told reporters that as of September 21, roughly $106 million remained unspent on California children's SUN Bucks cards, with benefits for about 38,000 children at risk of expiring. Last year about $118 million went unused. Montiel said roughly one in five cards is never activated, and some families already receiving CalFresh may not realize SUN Bucks is a separate card that must be used on its own.
The department advises families with both benefits to spend SUN Bucks first, before CalFresh balances, and to check balances through the phone number on the back of the card or the official benefits app. SUN Bucks goes to school-enrolled children, including those in households earning up to 185% of the federal poverty level.
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：儿童食品补助卡在超市结账时使用（资料图，美国农业部，公共领域）
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