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PantryPath Research · Summer EBT Atlas

SUN Bucks in Maine

Automatic enrollment

Maine is issuing Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) for the 2025 plan year. We estimate 48,521 children qualify, unlocking roughly $5.8M in federal grocery dollars for families this summer.

Auto-enrollment via SNAP/TANF.

49K

Eligible children (≤185% FPL)

26.5%

Eligibility share (5–17)

$5.8M

Dollars flowing in

16

Counties

Maine by county

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Toggle between eligible-child counts, eligibility share, and benefit dollars flowing into each county. Hover a county for its exact value.

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Maine at a glance

Participation

Yes

Automatic enrollment

Eligible children

49K

Est. ≤185% FPL

Eligibility share

26.5%

Eligible / 5–17

Dollars flowing

$5.8M

$120 × eligible

Dollars forfeited

—

$120 × eligible

5–17 in poverty

22K

SAIPE ≤100% FPL

County-level hotspots

Top five counties across 16 counties in Maine.

Most eligible children

Est. ≤185% FPL

  1. 1 Cumberland County 6K
  2. 2 Kennebec County 6K
  3. 3 Androscoggin County 5K
  4. 4 York County 5K
  5. 5 Penobscot County 5K

Highest eligibility share

Eligible / 5–17 universe

  1. 1 Piscataquis County 43.5%
  2. 2 Washington County 42.4%
  3. 3 Oxford County 42.3%
  4. 4 Waldo County 39.7%
  5. 5 Somerset County 36.6%

Largest dollars flowing in

$120 × eligible

  1. 1 Cumberland County $772K
  2. 2 Kennebec County $669K
  3. 3 Androscoggin County $648K
  4. 4 York County $646K
  5. 5 Penobscot County $624K

Every county in Maine

All 16 counties with Summer EBT eligibility estimates and dollars at stake.

County 5–17 in poverty Eligible (≤185% FPL) Eligibility share Dollars flowing
Androscoggin County 2,453 5,397 31.8% $648K
Aroostook County 1,387 3,051 33.2% $366K
Cumberland County 2,924 6,433 16.0% $772K
Franklin County 592 1,302 33.4% $156K
Hancock County 828 1,822 27.0% $219K
Kennebec County 2,536 5,579 32.2% $669K
Knox County 650 1,430 27.5% $172K
Lincoln County 567 1,247 28.3% $150K
Oxford County 1,484 3,265 42.3% $392K
Penobscot County 2,363 5,199 26.0% $624K
Piscataquis County 417 917 43.5% $110K
Sagadahoc County 510 1,122 22.5% $135K
Somerset County 1,137 2,501 36.6% $300K
Waldo County 944 2,077 39.7% $249K
Washington County 817 1,797 42.4% $216K
York County 2,446 5,381 19.0% $646K

Free summer meals in Maine

USDA's Summer Food Service Program runs free meal sites at schools, libraries, and parks. Open to any child 18 and under, no ID or income verification required.

Find summer meal sites

School-year free meals

Free and reduced-price National School Lunch and Breakfast programs — eligibility automatically qualifies kids for Summer EBT in participating states.

School meals guide

Maine SNAP

SNAP enrollment often triggers automatic Summer EBT eligibility. State-specific application guide and benefit amounts.

Maine SNAP guide

Families with children

Our population-specific guide: SNAP, WIC, Summer EBT, school meals, and pantry programs for families with kids in Maine.

Full families guide

Find a food pantry

Search Maine's verified pantries — many offer backpack programs, summer box distributions, and family-sized groceries during the summer months.

Maine food pantries