The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is seeking local governmental agencies, school food authorities, faith-based and public/private nonprofit organizations to provide summer meals to children.

The Summer Break Café (SBC) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) are summer food service programs that are funded by the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by SCDE. The mission is to ensure children have access to healthy meals during the summer months when school is not in session.

Last summer, partners served 3.2 million meals through these programs to students across South Carolina.

“Thanks to the incredible partnerships we have developed over the years, thousands of children in our state have access to nutritious meals during the summer months,” said State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. “There is still more work to do. To reach even more families in need, additional partners are necessary. Together, we can ensure every child has the fuel they need to learn, grow, and thrive this summer.”

SBC meals are served at sites that can be located at schools, churches, recreation centers, hospitals, cafeterias, farmer’s markets, community and migrant centers, and other areas in the local community.

Recently, the federal government changed regulations to allow rural area sites to serve meals in a non-congregate manner. This meant children could take and eat their meals off site, a parent or guardian could pick up meals for their children, and in some cases multiple meals could be picked up at one time. These types of meal services vary depending on the sponsors’ capability and approval by the Department of Education.

Community partners can be involved by becoming a sponsor, serving as a meal site, promoting the program, supporting existing sites with volunteers, activities, and outreach, and being a food vendor. Sponsors will be reimbursed for meals provided to children 18 years and younger at approved meal sites. USDA requires sponsors to be financially and administratively capable of conducting a non-profit food service. Sponsors will receive training and technical support during the application process and throughout the operation of their program.

For more information about the Summer Break Café, please review our Program Overview and visit our site www.summerbreakcafe.com. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, fill out the become a sponsor link by February 15, 2025.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
fax:
(202) 690-7442; or
email:
program.intake@usda.gov