In an effort to ensure that no child is left behind in being fed lunch during summer break, Columbia County Schools are participating in “Seamless Summer,” a program that is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to Assistant Superintendent Penny Jackson, the program is free to all children under the age of 18. Parents do not need to sign their children up; they just have to show up to the locations to receive the meals.
MORE: Richmond County School System Announces Summer School Programs
“We will be offering curbside service at four locations,” Jackson said. “Pickups will be on Mondays and Wednesdays so that kids receive meals for five days a week.”
Those locations are Lakeside High School, Evans High School, Grovetown Elementary School and the Harlem Library.
[adrotate banner=”19″]
The Department of Agriculture began the program in 2013 as a companion program to its traditional Summer Food Service Program and offers a more streamlined application process for the school system with less paperwork. Because it is a companion program, school systems do not have to meet the criteria for the traditional program.
“We tried the program four years ago, but there was a very low participation rate,” Jackson said. “We decided to offer the program again because we know the pandemic has caused all new economic hardship for families.”
Because of widespread poverty in Richmond County, that school system offers free meals to all students regardless of household income. However, Columbia County only offers the traditional free or reduced lunch prices for families that apply.
Columbia County does not meet the criteria to offer free lunch or breakfast to all students. To meet the criteria, a school system must have 50% or more of the total student body applying for the free or reduced lunch program. According to Jackson, only about 30% of students participate in the free or reduced lunch program.
Many years ago, the Richmond County School System caused an uproar among parents by asking all parents to apply, regardless of income, so that the system could qualify for free lunch for all.
[adrotate banner=”23″]
At the time, members of the PTAs in Richmond County complained the system was being dishonest just to get the extra funding. They felt it was cheating for the system to count students from affluent areas to get taxpayer funded “free” meals because the program was designed only for needy students.
The Department of Agriculture provides the funding for the food only. The school system has to pay for the employees which Jackson said is a good thing for the employees who would normally be idle during the summer break.
Jackson also said the program is an opportunity for kids who normally brown bag it to school to get a taste of the quality food that the school system provides.
“We hope they get addicted,” she said. “Our employees make some really good food. The kids all love our spicy chicken sandwiches and, of course, the pizza.”
The Seamless Summer program will continue on through September. If the program is successful, then Columbia County will have to reapply to offer it again in 2022.
Scott Hudson is the Managing Editor of The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
[adrotate banner=”49″]
