S.C. Department of Education seeks meal program partners

Listen to this article

The S.C. Department of Education’s Office of Health and Nutrition is seeking partners for its summer meals program, which provides healthy meals to children when school is not in session.

Government agencies, school districts, faith-based organizations and nonprofits can become a program sponsor or a summer meal site for the initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the S.C. education department.

“When students are on break from school this summer, their nutrition will continue to be a priority,” Ron Jones, director of the office of health and nutrition, said in a news release. “Last summer, due to the impact of COVID-19, there was a significant decrease in the number of non-school community sponsors and sites. Our goal this summer is to recruit new sponsors in needed areas and to encourage those sponsors who did not operate in summer 2020 to return.”

Sponsors can serve free meals to any student 18 years old and younger at approved sites, which can include schools, churches, recreation centers, hospital cafeterias, farmer’s markets, and community and migrant centers.

Sponsors receive training and support relating to the application process and program operation, as well as  nutritional education and technical assistance. Training and technical assistance sessions are being held virtually.

More information is available online. A virtual information meeting will be held Feb. 21 for organizations interested in becoming a sponsor. Online registration is available, and questions can be emailed to summerfood@ed.sc.gov.