'SUN Bucks' program will help feed North Carolina children this summer

North Carolina has unveiled a new program aimed at feeding over 1 million children this summer. 

Gov. Roy Cooper held an event this week to announce the launch of SUN Bucks, also known as SUN EBT, a food assistance program designed to combat child hunger. Cooper was joined by Cindy Long, an administrator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is providing nearly $120 million to fund the program.

Starting in mid-June, eligible families will receive a one-time payment of $120 per school-aged child to purchase food items. The payments will be dispersed in the form of debit-like EBT cards. Some children will automatically be enrolled, while other eligible families will be invited to apply via text or email.

According to a news release, North Carolina is one of only three states in the federal Food and Nutrition Services Southeast Region to take advantage of the USDA program.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services notes that one in six children in North Carolina live in households without consistent access to food.