Smithfield Foods has donated $500,000 to fund SUN Bucks in North Carolina, a newly established, permanent USDA program that provides food assistance to children and families during the summer.

"Fighting food insecurity and hunger is a top priority for Smithfield," said Steve Evans, vice president, community development for Smithfield Foods. "We're humbled to do our part in the communities where we live and work so our neighbors can continue to access healthy and nutritious food throughout the summer when schools aren't in session."

Launching in summer 2024, SUN Bucks, also known as Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children, will be administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Families will receive $120 per eligible child on a pre-loaded SUN Bucks card they can use to purchase groceries, such as fruit, vegetables and protein, at retail locations currently accepting EBT.

"Good nutrition is the foundation for good health. The SUN Bucks program gives more than a million school children in North Carolina access to the healthy food they need to thrive this summer," said North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. "NCDHHS is grateful to Smithfield Foods for their contributions to SUN Bucks and for supporting our mission to improve health and well-being for all North Carolinians."

The SUN Bucks program is anticipated to feed nearly one million school-aged children in North Carolina this summer and have an estimated economic impact of $120 million.