By Live 5 Web Staff | September 8, 2020 at 4:23 AM EDT - Updated September 8 at 5:19 AM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - School districts across the state will offer free meals for students through Dec. 31, even for students who will only be learning from home this year.
Here is a look at some Lowcountry district plans:
Charleston County School District
Beginning Tuesday, all CCSD schools will offer free breakfast and lunch meals to all students.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture will extend several flexibilities through as late as Dec. 31for offering free meals to all students.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is extending a suite of nationwide waivers for the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option through the end of 2020. This includes:
- Allowing SFSP and SSO meals to be served in all areas and at no cost;
- Permitting meals to be served outside of the typically-required group settings and meal times;
- Waiving meal pattern requirements as necessary; and
- Allowing parents and guardians to pick-up meals for their children.
Berkeley County School District
Officials with Berkeley County School District received confirmation from the South Carolina Department of Education that the USDA will allow the BCSD Child Nutrition Department to serve meals to all students at no cost through Dec. 31.
Berkeley County School District schools will provide breakfast and lunch at no cost to all students; however, no after school snack will be provided.
Dorchester County School District 2
Dorchester School District Two will offer the curbside meal service program while students are eLearning from home beginning September 8th. All students, including those enrolled in the district’s Virtual Academy, are eligible to participate in the curbside meal service program. The USDA extended its summer meals program amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, so students will receive meals free of charge as long as federal funds are available.
All meals will be served Monday through Friday between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. On-Site registration will be required at your selected school site on the first day that you participate in the program.
Meal pickup will be available at seven sites:
- Alston-Bailey Elementary: 820 West 5th North St., Summerville
- Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary: 301 Chandler Creek Rd., Summerville
- Fort Dorchester High: 8500 Patriot Blvd., Summerville
- Flowertown Elementary: 20 King Charles Circle, Summerville
- Oakbrook Elementary: 306 Old Fort Drive, Ladson
- Sand Hill Elementary: 324 Gnarly Oak Lane, Summerville
- William Reeves, Jr. Elementary: 1003 Dubose School Rd., Summerville
There is a possibility that the USDA will not receive enough funding from Congress to cover free meals for the entire period through Dec. 31. The district encourages DD2 families to complete the online meal benefit application to determine whether they qualify for free or reduced price meals.
For more information on their meal program, call 843-695-4920.
Georgetown County School District
Georgetown County School District will be offering free meals to all of our student through Dec. 31.
Meals can be picked up at any of the district’s 18 school locations. While GCSD remains in the Remote phase, meal pickup will be Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The district will continue to update the meal distribution plan as it transitions into the Hybrid/Prime phases of the reopening plan so that parents will be able to make adjustments and still have the opportunity to pick up meals for their children.
The announcement applies to the district’s Georgetown County Virtual Students as well.
For questions, please call 843-436-7077.
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