PantryPath Research · Summer EBT Atlas
SUN Bucks in New Jersey
Automatic enrollmentNew Jersey is issuing Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) for the 2025 plan year. We estimate 400,611 children qualify, unlocking roughly $48.1M in federal grocery dollars for families this summer.
Auto-enrollment via NJ DHS.
401K
Eligible children (≤185% FPL)
27.2%
Eligibility share (5–17)
$48.1M
Dollars flowing in
21
Counties
New Jersey by county
← Back to national atlasToggle between eligible-child counts, eligibility share, and benefit dollars flowing into each county. Hover a county for its exact value.
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New Jersey at a glance
Participation
Yes
Automatic enrollment
Eligible children
401K
Est. ≤185% FPL
Eligibility share
27.2%
Eligible / 5–17
Dollars flowing
$48.1M
$120 × eligible
Dollars forfeited
—
$120 × eligible
5–17 in poverty
182K
SAIPE ≤100% FPL
County-level hotspots
Top five counties across 21 counties in New Jersey.
Most eligible children
Est. ≤185% FPL
- 1 Essex County 59K
- 2 Hudson County 53K
- 3 Passaic County 36K
- 4 Ocean County 36K
- 5 Camden County 33K
Highest eligibility share
Eligible / 5–17 universe
- 1 Hudson County 56.2%
- 2 Cumberland County 41.9%
- 3 Passaic County 41.6%
- 4 Essex County 40.9%
- 5 Camden County 37.9%
Largest dollars flowing in
$120 × eligible
- 1 Essex County $7.1M
- 2 Hudson County $6.3M
- 3 Passaic County $4.4M
- 4 Ocean County $4.3M
- 5 Camden County $3.9M
Every county in New Jersey
All 21 counties with Summer EBT eligibility estimates and dollars at stake.
| County | 5–17 in poverty | Eligible (≤185% FPL) | Eligibility share | Dollars flowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic County | 6,722 | 14,788 | 35.4% | $1.8M |
| Bergen County | 10,385 | 22,847 | 15.4% | $2.7M |
| Burlington County | 5,237 | 11,521 | 16.3% | $1.4M |
| Camden County | 14,934 | 32,855 | 37.9% | $3.9M |
| Cape May County | 1,567 | 3,447 | 29.2% | $414K |
| Cumberland County | 5,152 | 11,334 | 41.9% | $1.4M |
| Essex County | 26,958 | 59,308 | 40.9% | $7.1M |
| Gloucester County | 4,679 | 10,294 | 21.0% | $1.2M |
| Hudson County | 23,909 | 52,600 | 56.2% | $6.3M |
| Hunterdon County | 759 | 1,670 | 8.9% | $200K |
| Mercer County | 7,672 | 16,878 | 27.5% | $2.0M |
| Middlesex County | 12,225 | 26,895 | 19.7% | $3.2M |
| Monmouth County | 7,002 | 15,404 | 15.5% | $1.8M |
| Morris County | 3,975 | 8,745 | 11.1% | $1.0M |
| Ocean County | 16,312 | 35,886 | 31.4% | $4.3M |
| Passaic County | 16,493 | 36,285 | 41.6% | $4.4M |
| Salem County | 1,562 | 3,436 | 32.6% | $412K |
| Somerset County | 3,126 | 6,877 | 12.5% | $825K |
| Sussex County | 1,202 | 2,644 | 12.6% | $317K |
| Union County | 10,593 | 23,305 | 23.9% | $2.8M |
| Warren County | 1,632 | 3,590 | 22.7% | $431K |
Free summer meals in New Jersey
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 sitesSchool-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 guideNew Jersey SNAP
SNAP enrollment often triggers automatic Summer EBT eligibility. State-specific application guide and benefit amounts.
New Jersey SNAP guideFamilies with children
Our population-specific guide: SNAP, WIC, Summer EBT, school meals, and pantry programs for families with kids in New Jersey.
Full families guideFind a food pantry
Search New Jersey's verified pantries — many offer backpack programs, summer box distributions, and family-sized groceries during the summer months.
New Jersey food pantries